What do you call any person who is in a relationship?

Question

In speaking directly to a person of any gender, what might the identifier be for them in terms of their relationship?

For example, "wife" would describe a person who is the female in a married relationship (generally); but is there a good word to use to describe the same, but for any relationship and either partner, other than "person in a relationship"?

Please provide more context. – coleopterist Mar 07 '13 at 19:05 — coleopterist, Mar 07 '13 at 19:05

score 5 · Answer 1 · answered Mar 07 '13 at 18:59

5

"She's in a "committed" relationship is generally understood without disclosing the gender of the partner or the type of relationship or living arrangement.

answered Mar 07 '13 at 18:59

Kristina Lopez

26,536

score 4 · Accepted Answer · answered Mar 07 '13 at 20:00

4

The adjective Attached

married, engaged, or associated in an exclusive sexual relationship ⇒ "it's no good dancing with her, she's already attached" (Collins dictionary)

(I would prefer to use "romantic" rather than "sexual" in the definition.)

I don't hear this one too often anymore, but, from what I remember, it was fairly common forty years ago. Now we would just say either "married" or "seeing someone".

answered Mar 07 '13 at 20:00

Canis Lupus

22,017

4

Since you and I share a name, I'll add my comment to your answer: spoken for is also used for this. – Jim Mar 07 '13 at 20:25
Why do you divide all relationships into these two kinds,"married" and "seeing someone"? What about who is not married and is not seeing someone? It is interesting for me as a cultural aspect. – Persian Cat Mar 08 '13 at 07:44
You're right. I should have said "all romantic relationships". – Canis Lupus Mar 08 '13 at 08:24
This one word sums it up the best I've found, thanks! – trisweb Mar 08 '13 at 19:00

score 2 · Answer 3 · edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:38

2

A very similar question has come up before.

I suggested partner, which satifies the requirements of not specifying a person’s sex or the nature of the relationship — except that it is a committed partnership of some kind.

edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:38

Community

1

answered Mar 07 '13 at 19:32

Andrew Leach

101,901

How can you recognize which kind of partnership it is? Because It is used in business too or am I wrong? – Persian Cat Mar 08 '13 at 07:39
1

Context, context, context. But yes, there can be an ambiguity when one's business partner is of the opposite sex (or even the same sex). However that's usually solved by using the term business partner. And then there's life partner or significant other or any of the terms at the linked question. – Andrew Leach Mar 08 '13 at 07:43

score 1 · Answer 4 · answered Mar 08 '13 at 03:52

1

The usual gender-neutral terms to use are

Spouse, for a married couple
Partner, for an intimately committed couple

answered Mar 08 '13 at 03:52

Blessed Geek

9,623

score 0 · Answer 5 · edited Mar 25 '13 at 02:27

0

If the person is into Mathematics you could call them a tuple-roomie.

edited Mar 25 '13 at 02:27

RegDwigнt

97,231

answered Mar 24 '13 at 19:17

einpoklum

3,464

What do you call any person who is in a relationship?

5 Answers5