When you go through some of the dating profiles online nowadays, it almost feels like you’re reading another language, what with all of the abbreviations, acronyms, and slang terms used. You have to really be on top of your game if you want to understand everything that is being said.
But even the most savvy internet user may not know some of these slang terms and phrases; some of them are especially designated for that particular dating site.
We’ve got a list of the most commonly used terms you’ll find on dating websites.
- A – Asian
- AKA – Also Known As
- Avatar – A small picture used to represent a person on a website
- B – Black
- BBW – Big Beautiful Women
- BDSM – Bondage, Discipline, Sadomasochism
- Bi – Bisexual
- C – Christian
- Casual Dating – No real commitment but still hanging out with someone
- CPL – Couple
- D – Divorced
- D&D free (or some variant) – Drug and Disease free
- DTE – Down to Earth
- Exing – An addiction to a former partner
- F2F – Face to Face
- FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
- F – Female
- FtM – Female to male transgender
- FWB – Friends with benefits
- FYI – For your information
- G – Gay
- GBM – Gay Black male
- LGBT or GLBT – Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender
- GLBTQIA – Gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, questioning, intersexed and ally
- GSOH – Good sense of humor
- GWM – Gay white male
- H – Hispanic
- HNG – Horny Net Geek
- Hookup – A random liaison without strings attached
- HWP – Height and weight proportionate
- IR – Interracial
- IRL – In real life
- ISO – In search of
- J – Jewish
- K – Kids
- Kino – Physical touch with the intention of getting to know someone better
- L – Lesbian
- LD – Light Drinker
- LDR – Long Distance Relationship
- LS – Legally separated or Light smoker
- M – Male
- MBA – Married but available
- MBC – Married black couple
- MM – Marriage Minded
- MSM – Men seeking men or Men who sleep with other men
- MSW – Men seeking women
- MtF – Male to female transgendered
- MWC – Married white couple
- NA – Native American
- NBM – Never been married
- ND or N/D – Non-drinker, no drinking, or no drugs
- Neg – Backhanded compliment
- N/Drugs – No Drugs
- NK or N/K – No Kids
- NS or N/S – No nonsmoker
- NSA – No strings attached
- NRE – New Relationship Energy aka the Honey Moon Period
- Open Relationship – You are in a relationship, but can sleep with other people
- P – Professional or parent
- PA – Personal attachment or Pleasing Appendage
- Pan – Pansexual
- Pansexual – Gender is irrelevant
- Peacocking – Attracting attention through props or clothing
- PC – Politically correct or Personal Computer
- PD – Public Display of Affection
- PDA – Public Display of Affection
- Poly – Polyamorous – loves many people rather than just one person
- POSSLQ – Person of opposite sex sharing living quarters
- RL – Real life, not online
- S – Single
- SBF – Single Black Female
- SBiF – Single Bisexual Female
- SBM – Single Black Male
- SD – Social Drinker
- SGL – Single
- SI – Similar Interests
- SO – Significant Other
- SOH – Sense of Humor
- STDs – Sexually Transmitted Diseases
- STIs – Sexually Transmitted Infections
- STR – Straight
- SWF – Single White Female
- SWM – Single White Male
- Textashionship – relationship based on texting rather than face to face interactions
- TG – Transgendered
- TLC – Tender Loving Care
- TS – Transsexual
- TV – Transvestite
- Umfriend – Kind of a friend but not really
- VBD – Very bad date
- W – Widowed or White
- w/ – with
- WAA – Will Answer All (in reference to messages from potential matches)
- Wingman – A male who will assist in the courtship or flirtation of another, usually by deflecting or otherwise befriending those in the company of the intended.
When people create their dating profile, some sites only give the users so much space to draw in potential users. So it’s only natural that the users make the most out of the space that they can and they do this by using their own unique language.
Sometimes members of the site can spot new folks by reading their profiles. When a profile reads too green, members will be skeptical about the member. It’s not because the members of the dating site don’t want to welcome in new people into the community, the problem is they don’t know if the profile they are reading is genuine or not. No one wants to get drawn in to a person’s profile and get hurt because the other person wasn’t serious or it was a fake account. By peppering your profile with a few of these common dating terms, you’ll show the people that you are serious about online dating and want to get right in there.