Polyamorous / Polyamory / Poly

Polyamory is the practice of, or openness to, having more than one loving relationship at once, with the full knowledge and consent of all partners. The word combines the Greek 'poly' (many) with the Latin 'amor' (love). It differs from monogamy and from cheating because it rests on honesty, communication, and agreement rather than secrecy. Polyamory takes many shapes. Some people keep a hierarchy with a primary partner and other relationships alongside it, while others treat all their relationships as equal. Related approaches include solo polyamory, where a person values independence, and relationship anarchy, which rejects ranking relationships at all. Polyamory is one form of consensual non-monogamy and has long been present in LGBTQ+ communities, with growing visibility in the wider culture.