Consensual non-monogamy (CNM), and its subset ethical non-monogamy (ENM), are the practice of

non-monogamous Non-monogamy (or nonmonogamy) is an umbrella term for every practice or philosophy of non- dyadic intimate relationship that does not strictly hew to the standards of monogamy, particularly that of having only one person with whom to exchange se ...

intimate Intimate may refer to: * Intimate examination, a physical examination for medical purposes that includes examination of the breasts, genitalia, or rectum of a patient * Intimate ion pair, the interactions between a cation, anion and surrounding sol ...

sexual Sex is the biological distinction of an organism between male and female. Sex or SEX may also refer to: Biology and behaviour *Animal sexual behaviour **Copulation (zoology) **Human sexual activity **Non-penetrative sex, or sexual outercourse ** ...

relations that are distinguished from

infidelity Infidelity (synonyms include cheating, straying, adultery, being unfaithful, two-timing, or having an affair) is a violation of a couple's emotional and/or sexual exclusivity that commonly results in feelings of anger, sexual jealousy, and ri ...

by the knowledge and consent of those involved, and from

polygamy Crimes Polygamy (from Late Greek (') "state of marriage to many spouses") is the practice of marriage, marrying multiple spouses. When a man is married to more than one wife at the same time, sociologists call this polygyny. When a woman is ...

by the various partners not being in a single marriage. Forms of consensual non-monogamy include swinging,

polyamory Polyamory () is the practice of, or desire for, romantic relationships with more than one partner at the same time, with the informed consent of all partners involved. People who identify as polyamorous may believe in open relationships wi ...

, open relationships, cuckquean fetishism and

cuckolding fetishism A cuckold is the husband of an adulterous wife; the wife of an adulterous husband is a cuckquean. In biology, a cuckold is a male who unwittingly invests parental effort in juveniles who are not genetically his offspring. A husband who is aw ...

. Consensual non-monogamy can take many different forms, depending on the needs and preferences of the individuals involved in specific relationships. As of 2019, over one fifth of the United States population has, at some point in their lives, engaged in some sort of consensual non-monogamy. It is common for swinging and open couples to maintain emotional monogamy while engaging in extra-dyadic sexual relations. Swinging: Pushing the Boundaries of Monogamy? Similarly, the friend/partner boundary in forms of consensual non-monogamy other than polyamory is typically fairly clear. Unlike other forms of non-monogamy, though, "polyamory is notable for privileging emotional intimacy with others." Polyamory is distinguished from some other forms of ethical non-monogamy in that the relationships involved are loving intimate relationships, as opposed to purely sexual relationships.

References

See also