“Boyfriend”, “girlfriend”, “partner” – cohabiting couples are the UK’s fastest growing relationship type, but the words we use to describe them feel outdated.

u201cBoyfriendu201d, u201cgirlfriendu201d, u201cpartneru201d u2013 cohabiting couples are the UKu2019s fastest growing relationship type, but the words we use to describe them feel outdated.

How do you talk about a long-term partner youu2018re not married to?

How do you talk about a long-term partner you‘re not married to?

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Personally I’d like a word that does the opposite; something universal and gender-neutral that communicates my relationship as entirely ordinary, humdrum, legitimate in its own right

I’d be tempted to co-opt the Betazed word ‘imzadi’ , if it was a real language and not something out of Star Trek

For a while after we bought our flat last year, he addressed me as ‘my joint tenant’. It was partly a naff joke, partly a tribute to the greatest act of commitment we’d ever made.

Stylist Daily

“‘Boyfriend’ makes me think I’m in year seven and arranging a date to McDonalds.”

Romantic partner: what do you call a long-term boyfriend, girlfriend or spouse?