What is polyamory?

Polyamory — literally 'many loves' — is having multiple romantic relationships at once, openly and with everyone's consent. The emphasis is on love and ongoing emotional connection: a polyamorous person may be genuinely, simultaneously committed to two or more partners, each relationship real in its own right.

Polyamory is one branch of ethical non-monogamy. It differs from swinging in focus: swinging is typically recreational and sexual, anchored around a primary couple exploring together, while polyamory centres lasting romantic relationships. Some people practise both, and the lines blur, but the orientation is different.

Polyamorous structures vary widely. A triad (or throuple) is three people all involved with each other; a 'vee' is one person with two partners who are not involved with each other; some people practise kitchen-table polyamory where all partners are friendly, others parallel polyamory where the relationships stay separate. There is no single correct shape.

Healthy polyamory runs on the same foundations as any relationship, amplified: explicit agreement, frequent honest communication, clear boundaries, and the emotional skill to handle jealousy and logistics openly. Many polyamorous people credit it with deepening their communication overall.

For how polyamory, swinging, open relationships, and other structures relate, see the JoinTheSwing glossary and the answer on swinging versus polyamory.