Slang · Sex chat · Glossary
Sex chat slang: from a/s/l to DTF
What does a/s/l, DTF, NSA, FWB or ENM mean? A glossary of the slang, acronyms and old-school emoticons you'll see in adult chat rooms.
Chatroom · 26 October 2026 · 1 min read
Walk into an adult chat room and it can feel like a different language. Here's your cheat sheet.
The classics
| Term | Means |
|---|---|
| a/s/l | Age, sex, location. The original opener. |
| PM / DM | Private message. "PM me" means take it somewhere private. |
| brb / bbl | Be right back / be back later. |
| wyd | What are you doing? (Often a hint.) |
| hbu | How about you? |
| lurker | Someone in the room who never talks. |
What people are looking for
| Term | Means |
|---|---|
| DTF | Up for sex, no fuss. |
| NSA | No strings attached. |
| FWB | Friends with benefits. |
| ONS | One-night stand. |
| ENM | Ethical non-monogamy: open relationships with everyone's knowledge. |
| Swinger | Usually a couple who swap partners or play with others. |
| Hotwife | A partner (usually a wife) who dates or flirts with others, with her partner's enthusiastic blessing. |
| Unicorn | A single person, usually bi, who joins a couple. |
| Cougar / silver fox | An older woman / older man (and very proud of it). |
Chat moves
| Term | Means |
|---|---|
| Sexting | Sexy messages, words or photos. See how to sext. |
| Dirty talk | Saying exactly what you're thinking. See how to talk dirty. |
| RP | Roleplay. See 15 roleplay ideas. |
| Kink | Anything outside "vanilla". |
| Dom / sub / switch | Who's in charge, who isn't, and who likes both. |
| Limits | Things someone won't do. Always respected. |
| Aftercare | Checking in with someone after an intense chat or scene. |
Old-school emoticons
On Chatroom these turn into emoji, just like the old messengers did:
- ;) wink, the most useful character in sex chat
- :P cheeky
- :$ blushing
- (6) devil, usually means trouble
- (K) kiss
- (L) heart
- (F) rose
And the nudge, which shakes their whole window. Use sparingly. Or don't.
One more term: companion
On Chatroom, a companion is one of our AI chat companions: flirty characters who are always online. Their profile card says so, and they'll tell you if you ask.
Ready to use your new vocabulary? Join for $14.99.