‘Kitchen-table polyamory,’ ‘Polysaturation’ and the terms you need to know

What does “polysaturation” mean? What is a “metamour?” What about a “relationship escalator?”
As conversations around polyamory go more mainstream, plenty of terms get thrown around that might sound unfamiliar to those outside those communities.
To start with, polyamory means “multiple loves” – a word coined in the late 20th century, with Greek and Latin roots.
“It usually describes a particular approach to (consensual non-monogamy) that prioritizes ongoing emotional and sexual connections with multiple partners,” Sheila Addison, a family and marriage therapist, told USA TODAY. It’s not to be confused with polygamy, aka “multiple wives” – something typically associated with religious or cultural practices, she said.
Experts have broken down some of the other key ones you should know, from “ENM” to “relationship anarchy.” And keep in mind you don’t have to be interested in trying polyamory to read up on it. “The more that even monogamous people are willing to learn and educate themselves about polyamory, the better it is for everyone,” Shanna Kattari, associate professor at the School of Social Work and in the Women’s and Gender Studies Department at the University of Michigan, told USA TODAY.
Great question:Why are we so obsessed with polyamory?
It can get complicated:Polyamory, pregnancy and the truth about what happens when a baby enters the picture
Now the next time polyamory comes up in conversation, you’ll be able to participate and use the right terms.