Though we still meet in bars and attend movies together, dating today is essentially unrecognizable to anyone from ten years ago; changes in how we discover our dates, treat them, and explain ourselves to them have profoundly transformed the dating environment.

To many people, contemporary dating might appear to be a labyrinth of technical jargon. In this article, we’ve demystified some of the most common jargon used in the online dating scene today. Read on!

1. BIG DICK ENERGY

Dating / Adjective

Pronunciation: BIG-dick. EH-nur-JEE

Big dick energy, or BDE, is something that only a few individuals have. It’s the ability to be supremely confident without needing to be loud or overbearing, a calm awareness of who you are and what you bring to the table that doesn’t involve backtalk, bragging, or B.S. In summary, someone with a lot of dick energy is really sexy, and more people should attempt to replicate it. The fact is that you can have BDE regardless of your penis size as long as you’re happy with yourself.

The term was invented by Twitter user @imbobswaget in a message lamenting the passing of TV celebrity and chef Anthony Bourdain in June 2018. It indicates that a person (or object) oozes the self-assurance of having a gigantic penis — and Bourdain’s compassion, charm, and humble swagger were just that.

“Wait a minute, look at that person over there. He’s bursting with big dick energy.”

2. Breadcrumbing

Dating / Move

Pronunciation: Bread-kruh-MING

Giving someone just enough attention to keep them interested without actually taking the time to go on a date with them: texting them here and there, liking a few photos on their Instagram, but never actually getting together in real life.

Etymology: Think about how breadcrumbs snake their way across your kitchen floor, dropping just a few bits at a time, so you never know when you’re going to step on a whole piece of bread.

“Josie responds to every second or third message I send her but refuses to meet in person. I believe she is breadcrumbing me.”

3. Curve

Dating/Trend

Pronunciation: KURV

Getting curved means being rejected, shot down, sidestepped, saying no to, dissed, and dismissed. Yes, it is unpleasant. When you get curled, take the time to thoroughly absorb all of the “no” that has just hit you. On the other hand, a well-executed curve is a memory of a failure, large or little, that you can take about with you and use to prop up or break down myths about your dateability.

Etymology: Because a curve is typically more nuanced than a flat-out no (for example, your SMS is “Seen” but not responded to), even though it hurts the same, it has a term that conveys a redirection rather than an open rejection. “Where are we going on our date?”

“We’re not going anywhere. I should have told you earlier that I don’t think this is going to work out.”

“I was curved.”

4. Ghosting

Dating/Move

Pronunciation: Ghosting

This is where a person all but vanishes from your life, without any warning or explanation; it is a dating trend that sees a person you were into ignoring your messages, calls, and voicemails without ever giving a reason why. Etymology: Ghosting is ostensibly a reference to people “dying” or “leaving your life” as if they were ghosts. Still, it’s also evocative of a scary-movie scenario where someone’s suddenly absent, but there’s an empty space where they stood, and you have to keep walking through it.

“Jenny and I have been in touch for over a year, but she finally ghosted me this morning.”

5. Daddy

Dating / Identity

Pronunciation: DAH-dee 

Daddy culture has grown to become very widespread in recent years. Nowadays, it’s common for teenagers and other millennials to use the word “daddy” in a sexual or sex-adjacent context. You may refer to your partner as “daddy” in bed or recognize a hot older man’s “daddy vibes” due to his physique, body hair, facial hair, and personal fortune. Yes, it’s low-key incestuous in any case, but the people have spoken.

Etymology: Derived from the word “daddy,” which means “father.”

“She keeps messaging me, ‘choke me daddy,'” I said. “What in the world does that mean?”

Conclusion

In summary, the above five terms may take a while to sink in, but we believe that it’s worth it. Hopefully, these definitions have been insightful and valuable in your dating life.

Do you guys know any other exciting dating terms? Don’t forget to tell us in the comment section below.

Looking for your ideal date can be daunting, whether it’s online or in the real world, but there’s nothing wrong with putting yourself out there in hopes of finding your perfect match! Zepeel is one of the best online video dating apps today that aims to spark romance beyond chatrooms; that’s why we offer free live video dating opportunities to take your online dating experience to the next level.