Glossary

While it may seem silly that there are so many 'made up' words surrounding things like asexuality, their usefulness cannot be understated. Words exist so that people have the language to talk constructively about issues that are important to them – and sexuality does have a significant impact on many people's lives. These days it is easy to find testimony online that people can feel much less lonely when they find a term and community to help them understand what they were feeling.

Terms like those below also create the conditions for greater awareness, and contrary to what it might seem, they do not need to be used to divide people into separate camps. Sadly, it's always possible to use words in a harmful way, and these terms may play a role in enabling othering behaviour to occur more easily. However, in such a case, it is always the perpetrator at fault rather than the words themselves.

Note on usage

Some of the terms below are apparently no longer in usage, or were never particularly widely used in the first place. In these cases, the term will be marked by an asterisk (*), a further asterisk may then follow the definition with a note on the term’s lack of usage.

This has been done because asexuality glossaries are typically used in two distinct ways. Firstly they may be used as traditional a dictionary is: for people to find the meaning of unfamiliar terms they may come across. But these glossaries can also give people a list to go through to expose them to different concepts and identities in the asexuality community, which can be especially useful for those questioning their orientation.

Glossaries will try to be inclusive, which makes sense for the first use case, but for the second one this practice can artificially make it seem like terms are widely used in the community, when they might not be. And the whole situation is exacerbated by the fact that glossaries will often copy from each other as well.

The middle ground chosen here then is to clearly mark when a term isn’t used very often in practice. This has the effect of demarcating when it is advised to use the glossary for each of the two purposes outlined above.

Definitions

• abrosexual: adj.,n. Refers to a person whose sexual orientation is very fluid or changes frequently. The sexual orientations can be any: for example, one abrosexual may fluctuate between heterosexual and homosexual; another might fluctuate between asexual, bisexual, and homosexual. See also aceflux.
• abroromantic: adj.,n. Refers to a person whose romantic orientation is very fluid or changes frequently. The romantic orientations can be any: for example, one abroromantic may fluctuate between heteroromantic and homoromanticl; another might fluctuate between aromantic, biromanticl, and homoromantic. See also aroflux.
• ace: n. A shortened term for asexual. May also refer to the a-spectrum more generally.
• aceflux: adj. Refers to a person whose position on the asexuality–allosexuality spectrum tends to change over time. A form of abrosexuality where as least one of the orientations fluctuated between is asexuality or grey-asexuality.
• acemisia: n. An alternative term for acephobia.
• acemisic: adj. Of or relating to acemisia.
• acephobia (also called ace-phobia): n. Hatred or discrimination directed towards asexual people on account of their orientation. Acephobia is a prejudicial attitude toward asexual people based on negative stereotypes. It can include believing that asexual people:
  • are less than human or against human nature,
  • are deficient or broken; that it is a result of mental illness or sexual abuse,
  • have just not met the "right" person,
  • are confused or 'going through a phase',
  • cannot experience love and have relationships,
  • are just "prudes"; that asexuality is a choice rather than an orientation,
  • don't face oppression and are damaging the LGBT cause.
• acephobic (also called ace-phobic): adj. Of or relating to ace-phobia.
• acespike: adj. Refers to a person that doesn't experience sexual attraction the majority of the time, but occasionally has periods of feeling very strong attraction.
• aegosexual (also called autochorissexual or anegosexual):
  • adj. Of or relating to aegosexuality.
  • n. A person whose sexual orientation is aegosexuality.
• aegosexuality (also called autochorissexuality or anegosexuality): n. A subset of asexuality defined as a disconnection between oneself and a sexual target/object of arousal. See Grey-asexuality.
• aesthetic attraction: n. An urge to observe, be close to, be sensual with, or have a relationship with a specific person based on their physical appearance. Usually the term implies a lack of sexual or romantic attraction to that person. See The a-spectra.
• affectual orientation: n. An alternative term for romantic orientation. This is an older term (at least from 1989) that in its original context, may have also been used as a way of de-emphasising the sexual component of attraction (rather than to make no comment on it).
• akoisexual: adj., n. An alternative term for lithsexual.
• akoisexuality: n. An alternative term for lithsexuality.
• allo: adj., n. A shortened term for allosexual.
• alloplatonic: adj. Refers to a platonic orientation where a person feels platonic attraction towards others.
• alloromanticism: n. An umbrella term for any romantic orientation other than aromanticism.
• allosexual:
  • adj. Of or relating to allosexuality.
  • n. A person whose sexual orientation is allosexuality.
• allosexuality: n. An umbrella term for any sexual orientation other than asexuality. Grey-asexualities may or may not be considered allosexual to some degree. The use of the word in this way is occasionally criticised due to the origins of the term as an antonym to autosexuality. However, the term in its current usage is nowadays relatively entrenched, in part due to the fact that it is less clunky and/or misleading than common alternatives such as 'sexual' or 'non-asexual', but also because the allo- prefix allows for the simple construction of new terms (e.g. 'allonormativity'). 'Zedsexual' is a commonly proposed term with the same meaning.
• allonormativity: n. Refers to the assumption that everyone is or should be allosexual, and/or the ways that society overlooks or delegitimises the experiences of asexuals. This is also a synonym for amatonormativity.
• alterous attraction: n. A form of attraction somewhere in the space between entirely platonic attraction and romantic attraction.
• amatonormativity: n. Refers to the assumption that everyone does or should experience romantic attraction, and/or the ways that society overlooks or delegitimises the experiences of aromantic people. Can also be used to refer to the assumption that the 'standard' form of a romantic relationship (e.g. monogamous) should be preferred.
• anegosexual*: adj., n. An alternative term for aegosexual that intends to make the etymology clearer. From an-ego, meaning 'without the self'.
• anegosexuality*: n. An alternative term for aegosexuality that intends to make the etymology clearer. From an-ego, meaning 'without the self'.
• antiromantic: n. An alternative term for apothioromantic.
• aphobia (also called a-phobia): n. Hatred or discrimination directed towards a-spectrum people on account of their placement on said spectrum. Acephobia and arophobia are kinds of aphobia.
• aplatonic: adj. Refers to a platonic orientation where a person doesn't feel platonic attraction towards anyone.
• apothiromantic (also called antiromantic): n. An aromantic person that is romance-repulsed.
• apothisexual: n. An asexual person that is sex-repulsed or sex-averse.
• apressexual: adj. Describes a person feels who sexual attraction only after first feeling some other form of attraction (for example, romantic or aesthetic attraction).
• aro: adj., n. A shortened term for aromantic.
• aroace: (also called aro/ace) adj. A shortened term for aromantic asexual.
• aroflux: adj. Refers to a person whose position on the aromantic–alloromantic spectrum tends to change over time. A form of abroromanticism where as least one of the orientations fluctuates between is aromanticism or grey-aromanticism.
• aromantic:
  • adj. Of or relating to aromanticism.
  • n. A person whose romantic orientation is aromanticism.
• aromance: n. An alternative term for aromanticism.
• aromanticism: n. A romantic orientation where a person doesn't experience romantic attraction. See The a-spectra.
• aromisia: n. An alternative term for arophobia.
• aromisic: adj. Of or relating to aromisia.
• arophobia (also called aro-phobia) n. Hatred or discrimination directed towards aromantic people on account of their orientation. See also aphobia.
• arophobic: adj. Of or relating to arophobia.
• arospike: adj. Refers to a person that doesn't experience romantic attraction the majority of the time, but occasionally has periods of feeling very strong attraction.
• asensuality:
  • adj. Of or relating to asensuality.
  • n. A person whose sensual orientation is asensuality.
• asensuality: n. A sensual orientation where a person doesn't experience sensual attraction. See The a-spectra.
• asexual:
  • adj. Of or relating to asexuality.
  • n. A person whose sexual orientation is asexuality.
• asexuality: n. A sexual orientation where a person doesn't experience sexual attraction towards anyone.
• asexual erasure: n. Refers to instances where the existence of asexuality is ignored, outright denied, or otherwise 'erased' from public discourse.
• autochorissexual: adj., n. An alternative term for aegosexual. See autochorissexuality for more details.
• autochorissexuality: n. An alternative term for aegosexuality. Autochorissexuality is sometimes avoided as a term because of its historical connotations, having originally been described as a paraphilia. Aegosexuality was coined partly in response to this issue, and partly because it's easier to pronounce.
• autosexuality: n. Refers to any form of sexual arousal or stimulation that occurs while alone. For example, masturbation, sexual dreams, autoerotic activities. May be considered an orientation term if it describes sexual attraction towards oneself.
• a-spectrum:
  • n. A collective term for the asexuality and aromanticism spectra. May also include related spectra such as asensuality.
  • adj. (also called a-spec) Refers to someone that falls under the a-spectrum.
• biromantic:
  • adj. Of or relating to biromanticism.
  • n. A person whose romantic orientation is biromanticism.
• biromanticism: n. A romantic orientation where a person experiences romantic attraction to both men and women. See The a-spectra.
• caedsexual*: adj.,n. Refers to a person who feels like there were, at some point, allosexual, but that has be taken away (or 'cut away') by past traumatic experience. *This term is considered controversial.
• cupioromantic: adj., n. Refers to a person who is aromantic, but also desires a romantic relationship.
• cupiosexual*: adj., n. Refers to a person who is asexual but also desires a sexual relationship. *This term was constructed from the same pattern as cupioromanticism, but has apparently never seen significant usage.
• demisexual:
  • adj. Of or relating to demisexuality.
  • n. A person whose sexual orientation is demisexuality.
• demisexuality: n. A sexual orientation where a person feels sexual attraction only to people with whom they have an emotional bond. You can read more at demisexuality.org.
• demiromantic:
  • adj. Of or relating to demiromanticism.
  • n. A person whose romantic orientation is demiromanticism.
• demiromanticism: n. A romantic orientation where a person feels romantic attraction only to people with whom they have an emotional bond. See The a-spectra.
• erasure: See asexual erasure. (This is a broader term that encompasses other forms of erasure such as bi-erasure.)
• fictosexuality: n. A sexual orientation where a person feels sexual attraction only towards fictional people / characters. Fictosexuality is distinct from aegosexuality because it involves a targeted desire for sex with the fictional character, whereas aegosexuality describes a pattern of arousal.
• fraysexual:
  • adj. Of or relating to fraysexuality.
  • n. A person whose sexual orientation is fraysexuality.
• fraysexuality: n. A sexual orientation where a person feels sexual attraction only to people that they don't have an emotional bond with.
• grey-asexual (also called grey-sexual, grey-ace, grey-A, grace, grey, or any of these with the gray alternative spelling):
  • adj. Of or relating to grey-asexuality.
  • n. A person whose sexual orientation is grey-asexuality.
• grey-asexuality (also called grey-sexuality, or either with the gray alternative spelling): n. Refers to any sexual orientation intermediate between asexuality and allosexuality, characterised by sexual attraction that is rare or reliant on specific conditions.
• grey-romantic (also called grey-romantic):
  • adj. Of or relating to grey-romanticism.
  • n. A person whose romantic orientation is grey-romanticism.
• grey-romanticism (also called grey-romanticism) n. Refers to any romantic orientation intermediate between aromantic and some other orientation, characterised by romantic attraction that is rare or reliant on specific conditions.
• grey-sexual: adj., n. An alternative term for grey-asexual. See grey-asexuality for more details.
• grey-sexuality: n. An alternative term for grey-asexuality. This term exists because some grey-asexuals do not identify as asexual-spectrum.
• GSRM: adj., n. An initialism for Gender, Sexual and Romantic Minorities. Intended to be a more inclusive version of the LGBT initialism.
• heteroromantic:
  • adj. Of or relating to heteroromanticism.
  • n. A person whose romantic orientation is heteroromanticism.
• heteroromanticism: n. A romantic orientation where a person experiences romantic attraction to people of the opposite gender. See The a-spectra.
• homoromantic:
  • adj. Of or relating to homoromanticism.
  • n. A person whose romantic orientation is homoromanticism.
• homoromanticism: n. A romantic orientation where a person experiences romantic attraction to people of the same gender. See The a-spectra.
• iamvanosexual*: adj. Refers to someone who enjoys having sexual acts performed on them but does not want to perform sexual acts on others. Iamvanosexual people may be sex-neutral or sex-repulsed when is comes to performing sexual acts.
• idemsexual*: adj. Refers to a person who cannot distinguish between platonic and sexual attraction.
• lithsexual:
  • adj. Of or relating to lithsexuality.
  • n. A person whose romantic orientation is lithsexuality.
• lithsexuality: n. A feature of a person's sexuality where sexual attraction is directed at real people, but lacking a desire for reciprocation (or with reciprocation being a turn-off). 'Reciprocation' in this context may mean physical reciprocation or it may refer to reciprocated feelings of attraction itself. Lithsexuality may be considered a form of grey-asexuality when reciprocation causes a loss of attraction rather than just not being the preferred form of sex.
• MOGAI*: adj., n. An initialism for Marginalised Orientations, Gender Identities, and Intersex. Intended to be a more inclusive version of the LGBT initialism.
• myrsexuality: n. A sexual orientation where a person experiences multiple asexuality-spectrum orientations simultaneously.
• myr-romanticism: n. A romantic orientation where a person experiences multiple aromanticism-spectrum orientations simultaneously.
• non-libidoism: n. The state of having no libido.
• oriented aromantic-asexual (also called oriented aroace): n. A person who is aromantic and asexual, but experiences some other kind of attraction (e.g. sensual or aesthetic attraction).
• pan-romantic (also called poly-romantic):
  • adj. Of or relating to pan-romanticism.
  • n. A person whose romantic orientation is pan-romantic.
• pan-romanticism (also called poly-romanticism): n. A romantic orientation where a person experiences romantic attraction to any and all genders.
• perioriented: adj. Refers to someone whose romantic and sexual orientations are the same. For example, a heteroromantic heterosexual, or an aromantic asexual.
• placiosexual: adj. Refers to a person who a person who enjoys performing performing sexual acts for other people but does not want them reciprocated. Placiosexual people may be sex-neutral or sex-repulsed when is comes to having sexual acts performed on them.
• platonic: adj. Describes love or intimacy not involving romantic feelings.
• post-sexual: adj. A condition where a person spends the earlier/developing part of life feeling sexual attraction, then later in life has a significant or complete loss of sexual attraction (that is, becomes asexual).
• primary attraction*: n. Attraction that is based on immediately apparent information, such as appearance or voice. Part of the ‘primary vs. secondary’ model of attraction, which is associated with demisexuality. See also secondary attraction. *The model of primary and secondary attraction was proposed on an AVEN forum post, and subsequently made its was onto the AVEN wiki. Articles and resources have since copied the concept from the AVEN wiki despite the model being apparently unused in practice.
• QPP:
  • n. An acronym for queer platonic partner. One of the members of a queer platonic relationship.
  • n. An acronym for queer platonic partnership.
• QPR: n. An acronym for queer platonic relationship.
• quaziplatonic (also called quazi platonic): adj. An alternative term for queer platonic. Though less common than queer platonic, quaziplatonic is sometimes preferred because it avoids use of the term queer, which can be seen as offensive.
• queer platonic relationship (also called queer platonic partnership. May also be spelled queerplatonic): n. An intimate relationship that is the same as a standard relationship but without the romance and sex. See The a-spectra.
• quoisexual (also called quoiromantic, WTFsexual, WTFromantic): adj. Refers to a person who is unsure or confused about if or what kind of attraction they feel. The -sexual/-romantic versions may be used to indicate which kind of orientation is found confusing.
• reciprosexual: adj. Refers to a person who feels sexual attraction only after someone feels attraction towards them.
• romantic attraction: n. An urge to form a relationship with a specific person that includes some form of extra-ordinary intimacy, emotional, sensual, sexual, or otherwise. See The a-spectra.
• romantic libido: n. refers to a person's frequency of romantic feelings (or desire to form romantic relationships) without reference to their cause. Used when discussing the fact that some people on the a-spectrum report feeling romantic desire that is entirely abstract, and not directed at any people (fictional or otherwise).
• romantic orientation: n. Refers to who a person typically feels romantic attraction towards. See The a-spectra.
• secondary attraction*: n. Attraction that develops over time from or due to feelings of emotional connection or friendship. Part of the ‘primary vs. secondary’ model of attraction, which is associated with demisexuality. See also primary attraction. *The model of primary and secondary attraction was proposed on an AVEN forum post, and subsequently made its was onto the AVEN wiki. Articles and resources have since copied the concept from the AVEN wiki despite the model being apparently unused in practice.
• sensual attraction: n. Refers to a person's desire to be participant in acts of physical intimacy that aren't sexual. Examples include hand holding, cuddling, hugging, and for some, kissing. See The a-spectra.
• sexual attraction: n. An urge to have sex with a specific person.
• sex-aversion: n. Refers to a negative response to the prospect of having sex. See The a-spectra.
• sex-favourability: n. Refers to a positive response to the prospect of having sex. See The a-spectra.
• sex-indifference: n. Refers to an indifferent response to the prospect of having sex. See The a-spectra.
• sex-positivity: n. Refers to an positive attitude towards other people having sex. See The a-spectra.
• sex-neutrality: n. Refers to an neutral attitude towards other people having sex. See The a-spectra.
• sex-negativity: n. Refers to an negative attitude towards other people having sex. See The a-spectra.
• sex-repulsion: n. Refers to a negative response to the prospect of having sex. See The a-spectra.
• split-attraction model: n. Refers to a model of human relationships where sexual and romantic attraction are considered to be separate (but related) phenomena.
• squish: n. A crush that lacks either romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or both. An urge to form a deep connection with someone or an intense feeling of attraction, liking, appreciation, or admiration.
• varioriented: adj. Refers to someone whose romantic and sexual orientations are not the same. For example, a heteroromantic asexual, or a homoromantic bisexual.
• zedsexual*: adj, n.: An alternative term for allosexual. See zedsexuality for more details.
• zedsexuality*: n. An alternative term for allosexuality. Zedsexuality, though much less common a term than allosexuality, is sometimes preferred because the latter was originally coined in opposition to autosexuality.
• zucchini*: n. An affectionate term for one's platonic life partner.