Please note: This is not an exhaustive list of terms, but I'll be adding more definitions as I write the novel. Not all of these terms are included in the story. Rather I've included them for educational purposes.
If you see an inadvertent error, please inform me right away so that I can fix it. Thank you!
ace (adj.) identifying as somewhere on the asexual spectrum
ace of clubs (n) ace slang referring to an asexual who identifies as gray-romantic and/or gray-asexual
ace of diamonds (n) ace slang referring to an asexual who identifies as demiromantic and/or demisexual
ace of hearts (n) ace slang referring to an asexual who identifies as alloromantic
ace of spades (n) ace slang referring to someone who identifies as both aromantic and asexual
Examples of Aspec Orientations
Please note: This is not an exhaustive list. There are endless variations.
This list also applies to aspec (asexual and/or aromantic) orientations. Just replace 'sexual' with 'romantic' in each instance.
aceflux (adj) someone whose asexuality remains fluid
asexual (n/adj) someone who experiences little to no sexual attraction
autosexual (n/adj) someone sexually attracted to themselves
cupiosexual (n/adj) an asexual who still has the desire to engage in sexual behavior or to have a sexual relationship
demisexual (n/adj) an asexual who only experiences sexual attraction after building a close romantic or emotional bond with someone; contrast with fraysexual
fraysexual (n/adj) an asexual who can experience sexual attraction only with strangers; contrast with demisexual
graysexual/gray-asexual (n/adj) an asexual who experiences sexual attraction but not at the same level and/or frequency as an allosexual
lithrosexual (n/adj) an asexual whose sexual attraction fades once it is reciprocated; contrast with reciprosexual
placiosexual (n/adj) an asexual who can experience sexual attraction when performing sexual acts but may lose that same sexual attraction if/when the acts are reciprocated
reciprosexual (n/adj) an asexual who can experience sexual attraction only once it is reciprocated; contrast with lithrosexual
Ace Spectrum Sexual Preferences
sex-favorable/sex-positive: having positive feelings towards sex despite a lack of sexual attraction
sex-indifferent/sex-neutral: having neutral feelings towards sex despite a lack of sexual attraction
sex-repulsed/sex-averse: having an extreme disinterest in/being repulsed by sex in addition to a lack of sexual attraction
alloromantic (n/adj) a person who experiences romantic attraction or romantic desire in a clear, consistent, and frequent enough manner to have no relationship to the aromantic spectrum
allosexual (n/adj) a person who experiences sexual attraction or sexual desire in a clear, consistent, and frequent enough manner to have no relationship to the ace spectrum
aromantic (n/adj) a person who experiences little to no romantic attraction
asexual (n/adj) someone who experiences little to no sexual attraction
attraction (n) a pull, allure, or interest in another person fostered by specific characteristics
Types of attraction
Please note: one may experience different types of attraction for different genders
platonic attraction (n) an emotion in which a person experiences a pull, allure, or interest that comes from the desire to hang out as friends or to share close companionship
(Please note: queerplatonic partnerships fall under this category as well even though they are deeper relationships than 'just friends'.)
aesthetic attraction (n) an emotion in which a person experiences a pull, allure, or interest that comes from the desire to observe and appreciate physical or external characteristics
emotional attraction (n) an emotion in which a person experiences a pull, allure, or interest that comes from the desire to form a close emotional bond with another person
intellectual attraction (n) an emotion in which a person experiences a pull, allure, or interest that comes from the desire to connect with another person on an intellectual level
romantic attraction (n) an emotion in which a person experiences a pull, allure, or interest that comes from the desire to engage in a romantic relationship (which includes, but is not limited to, marriage and/or civil partnership); contrast with sexual attraction
sensual attraction (n) an emotion in which a person experiences a pull, allure, or interest that comes from the desire to touch another person in a way that is not sexual in nature
sexual attraction (n) an emotion in which a person experiences a pull, allure, or interest that comes from the desire to engage in sexual activities with a particular person without an ulterior motive (such as procreation, [intellectual] curiosity, boredom, etc.); contrast with romantic attraction
gender: an identity based on sociocultural differences rather than biological sex
polyamory: a consensual form of non-monogamy that focuses on forming emotional connections among multiple partners (consensual among all partners); contrast with polysexual
romantic orientation: a means to identify whether or not a person experiences romantic attraction and if so with what genders and/or sexes
Examples of Romantic Orientations
Please note: This is not an exhaustive list. There are endless variations.
aromantic: little to no romantic attraction
biromantic: romantic attraction directed towards people who identify as men or women
homoromantic: romantic attraction directed towards people of two separate/different gender identities
heteroromantic: romantic attraction directed towards people who identify as a different gender
omniromantic: romantic attraction directed towards people who identify as any gender
panromantic: romantic attraction that doesn't favor any gender over another
sexuality: capacity for sexual attraction
sexual orientation: a means to identify whether or not a person experiences sexual attraction and if so with what genders and/or sexes
Examples of Sexual Orientations
Please note: This is not an exhaustive list. There are endless variations.
abrosexual (n/adj) someone whose sexuality remains fluid
asexuality: little to no sexual attraction
bisexuality: sexual attraction directed towards people of two separate/different gender identities
homosexuality: sexual attraction directed towards people who identify as the same gender
heterosexuality: sexual attraction directed towards people who identify as a different gender
omnisexual: sexual attraction directed towards people who identify as any gender
pansexuality: sexual attraction that doesn't favor any gender over another
polysexuality: sexual attraction direct towards a wide range, though perhaps not all, genders; contrast with polyamory
pomosexuality: people who actively refuse to identify with any label
sapiosexuality: sexual attraction based on level of intelligence alone
skoliosexuality: sexual attraction directed towards people who don't identify as cisgender
transgender: someone whose birth sex/gender differs from the sex/gender with which they identify