Sex Dictionary

Do the terms you come across sometimes make your head spin? No worries. Co-founder Lieke, a.k.a. Liekipedia, has listed the most common terms for you. Not everything has to do with sex. Everything is, however, educational.

A

Aftercare
The care and emotional support partners give each other after intense sexual or BDSM sessions to wind down and maintain a connection.

Afterglow
The feeling of bliss and relaxation that people often experience after sex or an intimate experience.

Aromantic
Someone who feels little to no romantic attraction to others, but who may still have sexual relationships.

Asexual (ASEX)
Someone who experiences little to no sexual attraction to others. They may, however, have romantic feelings.

B

Backyard Barbecuing
Stimulating the anus with the mouth.

Bareback
Sex without a condom, usually used specifically within the LGBTQ+ community.

BDSM
A collective term for practices involving Bondage and Discipline (B&D),

Bisexual
Someone who is sexually attracted to both men and women.

C

Cisgender (Cis)
Someone whose gender identity corresponds to the sex assigned at birth.

Compersion
The feeling of joy and contentment that someone feels when their partner is having a good time with someone else, especially within polyamorous relationships.

CNC (Consensual Non-Consent)
A BDSM practice in which, with mutual consent, a roleplay is performed where one party pretends not to give consent. This requires strict boundaries and communication.

Cuckolding
A fantasy where one partner finds it exciting to watch the other partner have sex with someone else. Often within a monogamous relationship with pre-arranged agreements.

D

Daddy/Mommy kink
Roleplay within BDSM where one person takes on the role of "parent" (usually a dominant role) and the other that of "child" (usually submissive). This is not about real parent-child relationships, but about the dynamics of care and power.

Demisexual
Someone who only experiences sexual attraction after a strong emotional bond has been built.

Dirty talk
Verbal communication during sex in which explicit language and sexual fantasies are shared to increase arousal.

Dominant (Dom)
The person in a BDSM situation who takes the lead and controls or commands the submissive (Sub).

DOMME
Female version of a dominant (DOM) within the BDSM world.

Dominance and Submission (D&S), Sadism and Masochism (S&M). These are sexual acts involving control, pain, and/or roleplay, always with mutual consent.

E

Edging
Sexual technique where someone stops just before orgasm to prolong the build-up of sexual tension.

Exhibitionism
Sexual arousal from being naked or performing sexual acts in view of others.

F

FFF
A threesome where all involved identify as female. Also called a "women's threesome."

Fetish
An object, body part, or act that someone finds exciting and which can be central to sexual fantasies or acts, such as feet, leather clothing, or uniforms.

Friends with Benefits (FWB)
Friendship in which both parties agree to also have sexual contact without romantic obligations.

G

Genderfluid
Identity where someone does not feel limited to one gender and may feel masculine, feminine, or somewhere in between at different times.

Genderqueer
Term for people who do not identify entirely as masculine or feminine and often place themselves outside the binary gender system.

Golden Shower
Sexual act where someone becomes sexually aroused by urinating on themselves or a partner. Also called "urolagnia."

H

Heteroflexible
Predominantly heterosexual, but open to exploring sexual experiences with people of the same gender.

J

J/O (Jerk Off) Instructions
A form of erotic dominance where the dominant party gives instructions to the submissive on how to stimulate themselves.

K

Kinky
Collective term for sexual preferences or acts that fall outside the "normal" sexual standard, such as BDSM, fetishes, or roleplay.

Power Dynamics

Dynamics of power and control that play a central role in many BDSM situations. This can range from mildly controlling situations to more intense exchanges of power.

L

LGBTQIA+

• Lesbian
• Gay
• Bisexual
• Transgender
• Queer or Questioning
• Intersex (people born with physical characteristics of both sexes)
• Asexual (people who experience little to no sexual attraction, or another form of attraction, such as romantic or emotional)

The + stands for all other identities, orientations, and expressions not directly named by the letters in the abbreviation. This ensures that people who do not specifically identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, or asexual are still included within this community.

M

MMF

Threesome with two men and one woman. The dynamics and sexual preferences within this group can vary.

Monogamous
A relationship form in which both partners are exclusive in their relationship and do not have sexual or romantic contacts with others.

N

NB (Non-Binary)

People who do not identify as entirely male or female, but as a mix of both, neither, or something else entirely.

O

Objectification
Practice where someone is treated as an object for sexual gratification, often in a BDSM context and always with mutual consent.

Omnisexual
Attraction to people of all genders, similar to pansexual, but often with an awareness of gender.

Open Relationship
A relationship form in which partners allow each other to have sexual or romantic bonds with others outside of their own relationship.

Oral Sex
Sexual stimulation with the mouth, lips, and/or tongue, often focused on the partner's genitals.

P

Pansexual
Sexual and romantic attraction to people regardless of their gender identity or biological sex.

Petplay
BDSM game where one partner takes on the role of a pet, such as a dog or cat, and the other partner plays the "owner." Accessories like ears and tails are often used.

Polyamory
Having multiple romantic or sexual relationships simultaneously, with mutual consent and communication.

PrEP
Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis: A medication that significantly reduces the risk of HIV infection for people in high-risk situations.

Pupplay
Specific form of petplay in which someone pretends to be a dog or puppy and behaves like a playful pet.

Q

Queer
Umbrella term for people who do not identify with traditional heterosexual or cisgender roles. Often used by people who identify outside cisgender and heteronormative frameworks.

S

Sadomasochism (S&M)
A form of BDSM where one person (sadist) derives pleasure from giving pain, and the other (masochist) from receiving pain, within agreed-upon boundaries.

Safe, Sane and Consensual (SSC)
A fundamental principle within the BDSM community stating that activities must be performed safely, sanely, and with mutual consent.

Sapiosexual
Attracted to intelligence; someone who reacts primarily to and is excited by intellectual stimulation.

Swinging
An activity where couples share sexual experiences with other couples or individuals, often in a group or club context.

Switch
Someone who can take on both a dominant and a submissive role, depending on the situation or partner in BDSM contexts.

T

Tease and Denial
Sexual practice where one person builds up the other's arousal without allowing them to reach a climax. It can be an intense form of control within BDSM.

Transgender
People who identify with a gender other than the gender assigned to them at birth.

Threesome
Sexual activity between three people, regardless of gender. Common terms are MMF (two men, one woman) and FFM (two women, one man).

Tribbing
Sexual technique where two people with vulvas rub their genitals against each other, also known as "scissoring."

U

Unicorn
A person, often a woman, who is open to having sex with a couple. This person is often sought after by couples for threesomes.

V

Vanilla
Term referring to "standard" sexual activities without fetishes, BDSM, or other atypical elements.

Versatile (Vers)
Someone who takes on both active and passive roles in a sexual situation, often within the LGBTQ+ community.

Voyeur
Someone who becomes excited by watching others who are naked or having sex, usually with consent in a playful setting.

Voyeurism
Obtaining sexual excitement from watching others who are naked or performing sexual acts, without them necessarily being aware of it.

W

Watersports
Collective term for sexual acts involving urine, such as a "golden shower."

WLW (Women Loving Women)
Term used for women who are romantically or sexually attracted to other women. It can also refer to women who identify as lesbian or bisexual.

X

XX
Common abbreviation for a threesome between three women, similar to FFF.

Y

Yoni
Sanskrit term referring to the vulva or female genital area, often used in spiritual or tantric contexts.

Z

Zen Sex
Form of intimate connection where partners focus entirely on the present moment and each other, often with the help of breathing techniques and mindfulness.