All Terms
Alphabetical collection of all terms
This glossary is a continuously updating record of terms that have been and are being used in the aromantic community by at least one person. As a record, this glossary is meant to document the various concepts that are thought up when the language is not sufficient to describe people’s experiences and doesn’t encourage or discourage the use of any term.
Please keep in mind these are shortened definitions and identities can be nuanced. This glossary was last updated in Oct 2021.
Jump to: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, I, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, Z
A
A spectrum (a-spec)
An umbrella term for orientations based on conditional and no romantic and/or sexual attraction, that is aromantic and asexual spectra, abbreviated to a-spec.
A-spec is also used as a specific identity describing someone who doesn’t differentiate their experiences of conditional or no attraction into types.
Coined by: Whes and Strategicgoat and Warriorsdebt (original, archived)
Abroromantic
Describes a person who experiences a fluid or rapidly changing romantic attraction to people of different gender expressions.
Acoromantic
Describes a person whose negative experiences with romance have alienated them from their alloromanticism.
Adfecturomantic / Affecturomantic / Adfectual / Adfomantic
Describes a person whose romantic attraction is affected by their neurodivergency.
Aegoromantic
Describes a person who enjoys the idea of romance, but does not wish to be a participant in romantic activities. A romantic parallel to aegosexual/autochorissexual, an idea first theorized by Anthony Bogaert (original, archived).
Coined by: Eridanamporadefensesquad on Tumblr
Aesthetic Attraction
An interest or strong appreciation for a particular person’s appearance or beauty.
Akoi(ne)romantic
Describes a person who can feel romantic attraction towards others and enjoys romantic relationships in theory, but does not need that affection to be reciprocated or to be in a relationship with the one the feelings are directed towards.
Describes a person who may stop feeling romantic attraction once in a relationship or stop enjoying it.
Akoiflux
Describes a person who experiences romantic attraction and only sometimes desires for it to be reciprocated.
Describes a person who experiences romantic attraction and has that attraction fade once in a relationship, but may come and go again throughout.
Aliquaromantic
Describes a person who experiences romantic attraction only under certain circumstances.
Allo aro (allo/aro, aro/allo)
An abbreviation of allosexual aromantic, a term people who are allosexual and aromantic use to describe themselves.
Alloromantic
Describes a person who experiences romantic attraction or is not on the aromantic spectrum.
Allosexual
Describes a person who experiences sexual attraction or is not on the asexual spectrum.
Alterous attraction
An interest or desire for emotional closeness without necessarily being platonic and/or romantic. Alterous is often used in the place of -romantic or -sexual suffixes (e.g., bialterous instead of biromantic).
A significant attraction that is related to other attractions (e.g., romantic).
A significant attraction that is unrelated to any other attractions.
Amicusromantic
Describes a person who experiences romantic attraction only to people they are platonically attracted to or are friends with.
Coined by: Pastelmemer a.k.a. Pastelroswell on Tumblr
Amorous
Describes an aromantic person who wishes to form a significant partnership with others. The opposite of nonamorous. Not everyone finds this category of description relevant.
Angled aroace
Describes a person on the aromantic and asexual spectra, who experiences a form of attraction other than romantic or sexual, but is significant enough to warrant a place alongside their aroace orientation. This label is for use by arospec asexual people, aromantic acespec people, and arospec acespec people.
Apathromantic
Describes a person who may or may not experience romantic attraction, but is indifferent to receiving it or acting on it.
Aplatonic
Describes a person who experiences little to no platonic attraction. This means they rarely or never experience squishes, which are strong desires to form a friendship with a particular person.
Describes neurodivergent aroaces who struggle to form relationships of any kind with people.
Aplatonic spectrum (aplspec)
An umbrella term for people who experience little to no platonic attraction, abbreviated to aplspec.
Aplspec is also used as a specific identity describing someone who experiences conditional or otherwise nonnormative platonic attraction, but doesn’t label it further. Platonic is often used in the place of -romantic or -sexual suffixes (e.g., demiplatonic instead of demiromantic).
Aporomantic
See Akoi(ne)romantic
Apothiromantic / Antiromantic
Describes a person who does not experience any romantic attraction whatsoever, in any shape or form, and is romance repulsed.
Coined by: Autisutehk on Tumblr
Flag variations (original, archived)
Note: A definition for antiromantic that is now out of use is “a person who would prefer not to develop romantic feelings for people, but does anyway.”
Appromour
Describes a relationship or partner that is not romantic. It may not quite fit the definition of a queerplatonic relationship or queerplatonic partner either. Appromour is a way to describe a relationship that may seem like a romantic relationship to oneself or outside observers but is decidedly still not romantic.
Apresromantic
Describes a person who only experiences romantic attraction after another form of attraction is felt. The original attraction may or may not fade/be replaced by the new attraction.
Coined by: Pastelmemer a.k.a. Pastelroswell on Tumblr
Archaro
Describes a person who feels that their aromantic identity is more important than other identities or is their “primary” or most important identity. Can be thought of to be an experience under the non-SAM/unit aro umbrella.
Coined by: Arokeladry (original, archived)
As a subset of non-SAM/unit aro proposed by: Arokeladry (original, archived)
Aroflux
Describes a person whose romantic orientation fluctuates but always stays on the aromantic spectrum.
Describes a person whose romantic orientation fluctuates between aromantic and alloromantic.
Arogender
Describes a gender which is significantly connected to one’s aromanticism. It can be any gender identity influenced by having an aromantic spectrum identity. It can be used as a standalone gender label or in conjunction with others; for example, one could be an arogender boy.
Arohaze
Aromantic (aro)
Commonly describes someone who experiences little to no romantic attraction, abbreviated to aro.
It also describes someone whose experience of romance is disconnected from normative societal expectations, due to feeling repulsed by romance, or being uninterested in romantic relationships.
Commonly used as a specific identity term by people who experience no romantic attraction.
See also: FAQ
Aromantic spectrum (arospec, aro)
An umbrella term for all aromantic orientations, which emphasizes the diversity from no romantic attraction to nonnormative romantic attraction or experience with romance, abbreviated to arospec.
Arospec is also used as a specific identity term describing someone who experiences conditional, unreliable or otherwise nonnormative romantic attraction, but doesn’t label it further.
Aromanticism
Noun form of aromantic.
Aromid
Describes someone that is strictly aromantic, but not strictly asexual, while still being on the asexual spectrum. The person may or may not use additional terms for their sexuality.
Coined by: star-allos (original)
Aromisia
Arophobia
See Aromisia
Asexual (ace)
Commonly describes someone who experiences little to no sexual attraction, abbreviated to ace.
It also describes people whose experiences with sex are disconnected from normative societal expectations, due to feeling repulsed by or uninterested in sex.
Another common umbrella term for asexuals is asexual spectrum (acespec), analogous to aromantic spectrum but for sexual attraction.
Aspectusromantic
Describes a person who can appear to have an attraction, but in reality they do not feel that attraction at all. They tend to act in ways that most people would assume alloromantic people do.
Autochorisromantic
See Aegoromantic
B
Borearomantic
Describes a person who has a set romantic orientation, with an exception, usually revolving around a single person.
Burstromantic
Describes a person whose romantic attraction comes and goes, the label doesn’t specify if there is a reason for the changes.
C
Caed(o)romantic
Describes a person who used to experience romantic attraction, but no longer does due to past trauma.
Cassromantic
Describes a person who feels utterly indifferent to romantic attraction or feels that it isn’t important.
Ceaseromantic
Describes a person who is usually alloromantic, but occasionally has a complete loss of attraction for a period of time.
Chosen family / Found family
A group of individuals who, based on emotional closeness, deliberately choose one another to play significant roles in each other’s lives and consider each other family even though they are not biologically or legally related.
Crush
An intense feeling of romantic attraction to a person.
Cruxromantic
Describes a person who only experiences romantic attraction within one’s depended(s). This term can be used to describe romantic attraction felt solely within the context of Dependent Personality Disorder.
Coined by: Anti-god on Tumblr
Cupioromantic
Describes a person who does not experience romantic attraction, but still desires a romantic relationship.
Coined by: Aro-ace-wonderwoman a.k.a. Louaxel (original, archived)
D
Dependromantic
See Cruxromantic
Desinoromantic
Describes a person who does not experience full-on romantic attraction, but experiences “liking” someone instead of “loving” them romantically, at which point the attraction ends.
Coined by: Pastelmemer a.k.a. Pastelroswell on Tumblr
Duraromantic
Describes a person who rarely experiences romantic attraction, but when it they do, it lasts for a long time.
E
Ethical non-monogamy
A broad umbrella term that describes relationships or a desire for relationships with more than one partner involved. All partners consent to the relationships and regularly communicate about their terms on equitable footing.
There are many types of ethical non-monogamy, including open relationships, swinging, polyamory, and relationship anarchy.
Exige(n)romantic
See Cruxromantic
Exteramo attraction
A significant interest or desire for emotional closeness with a particular person, without being related to platonic and/or romantic attraction.
F
Fictoromantic
Describes a person who experiences romantic attraction towards fictional characters. This can be an arospec identity if the person experiences little to no attraction towards real people.
Flag (original)
Foveo
Describes a partner in a relationship is not inherently romantic nor platonic, but features physical and/or sexual attraction and intimacy. Created as an alternative to “friends with benefits”.
Coined by: Lollie (original)
Frayromantic
Describes a person who experiences romantic attraction towards strangers and people they are less familiar with, which fades away when they get to know them more.
Coined by: Edensmachine on Tumblr
G
Greyromantic (grey aromantic)
Describes a person who feels romantic attraction very rarely, weakly, unreliably or gains/loses attraction in unusual or unknown circumstances.
Can also be used as an umbrella term for orientations on the aromantic spectrum except for aromantics who don’t experience romantic attraction at all.
Grey coined by: KPsaz (original, archived)
I
Iamvanoromantic
Describes a person who feels little to no desire to be the giver of romantic gestures but expresses interest/desire in receiving them from someone else. An iamvanoromantic person can be aromantic or alloromantic.
Idemromantic
Describes a person who does not internally experience romantic and platonic attraction differently. They distinguish between romantic and platonic based on other factors, such as age, personality compatibility, and ease of living together.
Implaromantic
Inactoromantic
Describes a person who experiences romantic attraction and wants a romantic relationship but doesn’t like romantic actions.
Initiaromantic
See Inactoromantic
K
L
Lithflux
See Akoiflux
Loveless Aromantic
Describes a person on the aromantic spectrum who feels disconnected from the concept of love, does not experience love, or rejects the idea of personally experiencing love. Loveless aros may experience other attractions, but do not equate these attractions to love.
Coined by: K.A. Cook (original)
Flag (original)
Lush
The sensual equivalent of a crush. A lush is an intense feeling of sensual attraction to a person.
M
Malaromantic
Describes a person who only experiences romantic attraction during maladaptive daydreams.
Mesh
The alterous equivalent of a crush. A mesh is an intense feeling of alterous attraction to a person.
N
Neuroromantic
Describes a person whose romantic orientation is affected by their neurodivergency in some way. Neuroromantic is often used as an umbrella term for neurodivergence-influenced identities.
Coined by: Pastelmemer a.k.a. Pastelroswell on Tumblr
Non-SAM aro
Describes an aromantic person who does not use the Split Attraction Model (SAM) to characterize their orientation. Non-SAM aros do not identify with an allosexual or asexual spectrum orientation, regardless of whether or not they experience sexual attraction.
There are also other terms that people use as synonyms for non-SAM aro, and there is ongoing discussion about which ones might be preferred by the community.
A similar term that is not defined in relation to the SAM is Unit aro.
Nonamorous
Noviromantic
Describes a person who experiences a complicated romantic attraction (or lack thereof) such that they do not feel it can be described in a single term.
Coined by: Romeoisadick on Tumblr
O
Omniaromantic
Describes a person who feels no romantic attraction whatsoever. In no way, shape, or form do they fall in love or feel any attraction to anyone.
Oriented aroace
Describes an aromantic and asexual person who experiences a form of attraction that is neither romantic nor sexual, but is significant enough to warrant a place alongside their aroace orientation. This label was specifically created for aroaces who never experience romantic or sexual attraction.
P
Panaromantic
See Omniaromantic
Partnering
See Amorous
Peach fuzz
When Queerplatonic Partners pretend to be in a romantic relationship to stave off questions from friends and family asking why they’re not dating anyone.
Perioriented
Any combination of a sexual orientation and romantic orientation that “match up,” or share the same gender preference.
Placioromantic
Describes a person who feels little to no desire to be the receiver of romantic gestures but expresses interest/desire in performing them on someone else. A placioromantic person can be aromantic or alloromantic.
Coined by: Athomewithmargaery on Tumblr
Plat(oni)romantic
Describes a person who feels no distinction between platonic and romantic attraction.
Coined by: Novusnova on Tumblr
Platonic attraction
An interest or desire for friendship or other close relationship with a particular person. Most often, this relationship is non-romantic and non-sexual, but this can vary depending on the person.
Plush
The queerplatonic equivalent of a crush. A plush is a desire to enter into a queerplatonic relationship with a particular person.
Polyaffectionate
Describes a person who practices or desires non-romantic and/or non-sexual affectionate relationships where individuals have more than one partner, with the knowledge and consent of all partners. A type of polyamory that is explicitly non-romantic and/or non-sexual.
Propeestromantic
Describes a person whose identity feels like a mix of many (any more than two) aromantic spectrum identities that all are a part of one identity.
Coined by: Alex (Knifegoth on Tumblr)
Protoromantic
See Frayromantic
Q
Queerplatonic (quasiplatonic) relationship (QPR)
A committed non-romantic relationship that departs from what is the subjective cultural norm for a friendship. Levels of intimacy and/or behaviors between the partners involved often don’t fit the conventional standards set by society. Some QPRs can include sex and elements that are generally considered romantic. In practice every queerplatonic relationship is different. Abbreviated to QPR, and queerplatonic (quasiplatonic) partner to QPP. Another common word for QPP used to be zucchini.
Quoiromantic
Describes a person who doesn’t understand romance, romantic attraction, or romantic orientation and feels as if those categories are nonsensical, inapplicable, or inaccessible so they disidentify with those labels.
A helpful source (original, archived)Describes a person who experiences confusion or frustration when trying to differentiate between and apply platonic and romantic attraction to their personal experiences, and therefore is not sure if they experience it.
R
Recipromantic
Describes a person who feels romantic attraction only if the other person feels romantic attraction toward them first.
Relationship anarchy
The belief that no kinds of intimate relationships are superior to others, despite some being more highly valued in society. It is usually non-monogamous and is based on the premise that a relationship doesn’t have to conform to socially-prescribed norms. Community interdependence is another important facet of RA (“community not couples”). Opposed to amatonormativity and not specific to aromantics.
Requi(es)romantic
Describes a person who feels little to no romantic attraction due to mental or emotional exhaustion. The exhaustion may or may not have been caused by bad experiences of romance in that person's past.
Coined by: Gay4dragons on Tumblr
Requiromantic
See Cruxromantic
Romance repulsed / averse / indifferent / favorable
An axis describing a person’s level of comfort with actions that are perceived as romantic directed at them or displays of them (in person or in media). The level of comfort may be dynamic and conditional.
Romance repulsed/averse – describes a person who is mildly to severely uncomfortable with romance directed at them or displays of romantic affections.
Romance indifferent – describes a person who is neither uncomfortable with nor particularly enthusiastic about romance directed at them or displays of romantic affections.
Romance favorable – describes a person who is comfortable with and may enjoy romance or displays of romantic affections.
Romantic attraction
An interest or desire for romantic contact or interaction with a particular person. This type of attraction often comes with strong feelings, usually infatuation and the wish to form a romantic relationship with that person.
Romantic orientation
A label describing the usual patterns of a person’s romantic attraction or the lack of it.
Romo aro
Describes a person who is on the aromantic spectrum and experiences romantic attraction in some way or who desires/is in a romantic relationship. Stands for “romantic aromantic.”
Flags (original)
S
Schromantic
Describes a person who is aromantic and alloromantic at the same time, or some mix of the two.
Semi-SAM
A type of application of the Split Attraction Model (SAM). The semi-SAM is fluctuation in how one can classify their identity. For example, sometimes identifying under a SAM model feels appropriate, while at other times it does not. It can also be used if one feels a particular identity takes priority, but does not wish to disregard any other identities.
Sensual attraction
Sexual attraction
An interest or desire for sexual contact or interaction with a particular person.
Singlism
The stigmatization of or discrimination against people who are single.
Coined by: Bella DePaulo
Singuluromantic
Describes a person who only experiences one type of attraction towards people (i.e. if they experience sexual attraction towards a person, they won’t feel romantic/alterous/platonic attraction towards them).
Smush
The sexual equivalent of a crush. A smush is an intense feeling of sexual attraction to a person.
Soft romo
An adjective to describe something that is low-level romantic. A soft romo relationship is defined by the coiner as somewhere in between a queerplatonic and a romantic relationship.
Solaro
Describes a person who feels that their identity is uniquely aromantic, just aromantic, or only, solely aromantic. Can be thought of to be an experience under the non-SAM/unit aro umbrella.
Coined by: Arokeladry (original, archived)
As a subset of non-SAM/unit aro proposed by: Arokeladry (original, archived)
Split Attraction Model (SAM)
Some aromantics use the SAM to make a distinction between experiences of attraction depending on certain characteristics, conceptualizing them as different types of attraction. A person who uses the SAM to describe themselves may experience different types of attraction as distinctive and decide to label the attractions separately. It’s not a model that works to describe everyone’s experiences, and there are some disagreements about its history.
Squash
See Plush
Squish
The platonic equivalent of a crush. A squish is an intense feeling of platonic attraction, commonly mistaken with ‘just wanting to be friends with someone.’
The equivalent of a crush for other types of attraction. Sometimes used as a catch-all term for other types of non-romantic non-sexual attractions.
Swish
The aesthetic equivalent of a crush. A swish is an intense feeling of aesthetic attraction to a person.
T
Tertiary attraction
An umbrella term that includes types of attraction that are not strictly categorizable into romantic attraction or sexual attraction.
Thymromantic
Describes a person who feels romantic attraction which varies depending on emotional state.
Touch averse
Describes a person who is mildly to severely uncomfortable with physical touch. The level of discomfort may be dynamic and conditional.
U
Unit aro
See non-SAM aro.
Describes an aromantic person who identifies only or primarily as aromantic, centering their aromantic identity as their preferred unit.
V
Varioriented / Mixed orientation identity
Any combination of a sexual orientation and romantic orientation that do not “match up,” or share the same gender preference. For example, aromantic pansexual, biromantic heterosexual, homoromantic asexual, etc. are mixed orientation identities. Also called cross-orientation sexuality.
Venusplatonic
Describes a person who does not want romance or a romantic relationship, but considers strong platonic love and relationships very important, including exclusive ones like QPRs. Also describes a person who experiences some sort of tetritary attraction.
Coined by: reggiestein.v (original)
Flag (original)
W
Wavership
Z
Zedromantic
Describes a person who experiences romantic attraction or is not on the aromantic spectrum. An alternate term to alloromantic.