Sexuality 4: Glossary of Common Sexual Practices

Glossary of Sexual Practices

Note: There are numerous sexual practices, variations on sexual practices, and terminologies for sexual practices. While all of these cannot be listed here, the following is a glossary of some of the most commonly known practices. In some cases, we use informal terms, and in others, we use the more scientific term, depending on how well known the terms or practices are. While some of these practices are categorized as paraphilias (practices that fall outside of social norms), we recognize that social norms may be very culture- or subculture-specific, and classifying a practice as outside of social norms is often value-laden.

Abstinence, sexual: The voluntary decision not to engage in sexual relations of any kind. In some cases, the decision not to engage in penetrative sex. Reasons for abstinence include periodic abstinence for contraception, disease or pregnancy prevention, and abstinence for religious reasons.
Anal intercourse; anal sex: (Sometimes also referred to as sodomy.) Insertion of the penis into the rectum. This practice is widespread among both homosexual men and heterosexual couples. Some define anal sex as including insertion of other objects in the anus, such as dildos, fingers, and hands. Insertion of hands is often termed “fisting.”
Anilingus: Oral stimulation of the anal area.
Autoerotic asphyxiation: Self-strangulation during masturbation. Partial asphyxiation enhances orgasm during masturbation. This practice can inadvertently result in death. It is sometimes practiced by adolescent males and often appears to be associated with cross-dressing (dressing in women’s clothing).
Autofellatio: Fellatio performed on oneself.
Axillary intercourse: Inserting the penis under the armpit.
Bestiality: Sexual contact with animals. This can involve various types of body contact, including oral, anal, and vaginal intercourse.
Body rubbing (dry humping): Rubbing bodies together, especially sexual organs, sometimes leading to orgasm.
Bondage and discipline: A sexual encounter or role play involving elements of sadism and masochism in which one partner, who is submissive, is bound or restrained, and then disciplined, chastised, or punished physically or mentally by the dominant partner. Such acts are generally found to be sexually arousing for both partners and mutually agreed upon or negotiated beforehand.
Coitus (sexual intercourse, copulation, vaginal intercourse): Insertion of the penis into the vagina, followed by rhythmic movement often leading to orgasm.
Coprophilia: Sexual response related to the smell or taste of feces or to seeing someone defecate.
Cunnilingus (oral sex on a woman): Stimulation of the external genitals of the woman with lips, mouth, or tongue. This practice may or may not be continued to orgasm.
Cybersex: Sex-related products, services, and activities involving the Internet. Includes sexual fantasy between individuals or groups through games, chat rooms, bulletin boards, instant messaging services, and other sources.
Erotic fantasy: Reading, watching, imagining, telling, or acting out erotic fantasies with or without a partner.
Erotic massage: Sensual and sexually arousing body massage, which sometimes includes stimulation of the sexual organs with hands, body, or mouth.
Exhibitionism: Sexual arousal achieved by undressing, performing sex acts, or masturbating in front of others; exposing one’s genitalia to strangers as a means of obtain sexual arousal.
Fellatio (oral sex on a man): Stimulation of the penis using the lips, mouth, or tongue. This practice may or may not be continued to orgasm, and the partner may or may not swallow the ejaculate.
Fetishism: Sexual arousal occurring in response to any nonsexual object or practice or to a nongenital body part. Fetishes vary widely and might include items of clothing (such as shoes, boots, or undergarments), materials (such as leather, rubber, or silk), or body parts (such as hair, feet, or legs).
Fisting: Inserting a hand into the rectum or vagina of a sexual partner, forming a fist during or after insertion.
Foot fetishism: Sexual arousal dependent upon viewing, handling, or kissing the feet and toes.
Foreplay (loveplay): Sexual activity including caressing, touching, stroking, kissing, massaging, and other types of bodily contact that promotes sexual excitement (erection or vaginal lubrication). This type of sexual activity may or may not lead to orgasm and does not necessarily lead to sexual intercourse.
Frottage: Sexual arousal achieved by rubbing against another person (particularly by rubbing against a stranger in a public place).
Incest: Sexual contact between closely related individuals that violates sociocultural or religious norms or laws. (Definitions of the type of kinship within which sex is forbidden vary widely between cultures.)
Intercourse: Insertion of the erect penis into the vagina or anus. (May also be used to describe other forms of sexual activity, such as interfemoral intercourse, oral intercourse, or mammary intercourse.)
Interfemoral intercourse: Inserting and moving the penis between the thighs.
Mammary intercourse: Inserting and moving the penis between the breasts.
Masochism: Sexual arousal or orgasm dependent on receiving punishment, discipline, humiliation, or servitude.
Masturbation: Manual or other nonpenetrative stimulation of oneself or a partner for sexual pleasure. Under some definitions, it may also include penetrative stimulation of oneself.
Mutual masturbation: Sexual activity in which partners stimulate each others’ genitals with hands or sex toys. Sometimes used to refer to a couple watching each other masturbate.
Necrophilia: Sexual activity with a corpse.
Nymphomania: A term used to refer to a very sexually active woman, often implying excessive or uncontrollable desire. (This term is often pejorative and reflects gender biases in which women are expected to be sexually naīve and without active desire.)
Oral intercourse (oral sex): See Cunnilingus, Fellatio, and Anilingus.
Orgy (group sex): Simultaneous sexual activity among more than two people.
Outercourse: Any form of sexual pleasure or stimulation between partners that does not include insertion of the penis into the vagina, anus, or mouth.
Paraphilia: Sexual arousal or orgasm dependent upon a sexual practice that is outside of social norms.
Pederasty: Sexual relations between a man and a boy.
Pedophilia: Sexual arousal for an adult obtained by sexual contact with or fantasies about children.
Rape: Sexual intercourse (vaginal, anal, oral) or other sexual contact forced by one person upon another using physical force, threat, or coercion. Although this term is included in a list of sexual practices, rape can be considered a form of violence rather than a form of sex.
Rape fantasy: A form of sexual arousal by fantasizing about being raped, being forced to engage in sexual activity, or forcing a person to engage in sexual activity. Having rape fantasies or consensually acting out rape fantasies does not imply an actual desire to be raped or to rape.
Role play: Acting out of sexual fantasies, sometimes using costumes or masks.
Sadism: Sexual arousal or orgasm dependent on giving punishment, disciplining or humiliating a partner, or requiring servitude.
Sadomasochism: The consensual use of domination or pain for sexual arousal and stimulation; fantasizing or playing out dominant and submissive roles. The “sadist” is the partner who dominates or inflicts pain, and the “masochist” is the partner who is dominated or receives pain. A nonsadistic person may play the sadistic role to please a masochistic partner or to gain financial profit.
Safe sex (often “safer sex”): A term often referring to sexual activity that reduces the risk for HIV transmission. A broader definition might include relations that lower the risk for disease, unintended pregnancy, violence, coercion, or abuse of power.
Satyriasis: The desire by a man to have sex frequently with different partners, often implying excessive or uncontrollable desire. As with nymphomania, this term is often pejorative.
Sex toys: Objects used for or designed for enhancing sexual pleasure (including dildos, vibrators, and implements used for bondage).
Sixty-nine: Mutual, simultaneous oral sex.
Sodomy: Any sexual act that is not penile-vaginal penetration. Usually refers to oral or anal intercourse, but various legal definitions may include other activities.
Striptease: Eroticized, gradual undressing by a male or female dancer.
Swinging (mate swapping, wife swapping): Exchanging partners for sexual recreation.
Tantric sex: Practices based on Hindu sacred text dealing with sexual yoga. In the Buddhist tradition, tantra refers to ritual texts that urge the cultivation of sensual pleasure.
Transvestism (cross-dressing): Dressing in clothes traditionally used by members of the opposite sex. In some people, cross-dressing may be a compulsion, or sexual arousal may be dependent upon cross-dressing. Many transvestites are heterosexual men whose behavior pattern does not lead to transsexualism (living and passing socially as a member of the opposite gender). Other transvestites are homosexual men (“drag queens”), who often develop elaborate feminine personas.
Troilism: Sexual activity between three people.
Urolagnia: Sexual arousal or response depending on the scent, taste, or sight of urine. May include watching a partner urinate, smelling urine, urinating on or being urinated on by a partner (sometimes called “golden showers”), or drinking urine.
Vaginal intercourse (coitus): Inserting the penis into the vagina.
Voyeurism: Sexual arousal achieved by watching other people undress or engage in sexual activity.