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I'm in my mid 40s and dating this lady of a similar vintage. I am trying to find a good word to describe our relationship, but "girlfriend" and "boyfriend" seems inappropriate for us. It reminds me of those forty year old guys who say "I'm gittin' down wi ma hommies." It communicates, but it seems out of place. Perhaps it is the "girl" and "boy" part that bothers me. Any suggestions for something more appropriate? |
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Depending on how comfortable you are with the mixed connotations of the following suggestions:
You also just refer to her by name which would probably be more polite. Depending on the context you can use the term "dating":
Edit: Not that there is anything wrong with girlfriend. I understand the desire to avoid it but it has its use even amongst older couples. |
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How about:
A common term to refer to "your lady" i.e. That one, over there, she is my sweetheart. Kinds of indicate a closeness to your heart :) Also, if you like something more passionate:
I wouldn't use "mistress", as it has a nuance that doesn't quite describe your relationship, or "partner", as that makes it sound too businesslike. |
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I personally find the term beau quite endearing and appropriate for men of all ages. The feminine equivalent is belle, which is also nice. Or you might like sweetie, if that's not too sappy. |
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I'm in my early thirties, and I most often use the word lady to describe my girlfriend. As a note, though, I've used the same word since my early twenties. However, I really see nothing wrong with using girlfriend, at any age. No one will think you any less mature (or whatever else) because of it – I certainly won't. |
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Frankly, I think "girlfriend" is the best and most appropriate term. I've never understood it to imply that you are teenagers, and I really don't know any other widely-used term. There are some obsolete terms, like someone mentioned "beau" and "sweetheart", but I think these are pretty rarely used today. Well, if you're worried about sounding like you're trying to be trendy, maybe you consider sounding quaint and old-fashioned a positive thing. |
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A couple options:
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A few options to consider: "Significant other" or "S.O.": A bit wordy, and the abbreviation probably would get a "huh?" in conversation. "Partner": Ok, but people will read same-sex into it unless clarified. Both of these have a "several years girlfriend" feel to them. "Woman I'm Dating": Wordy, but not bad. |
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For many older dating couples, the terms, lady friend and man friend, are acceptable. Or even more simply, lady and man:
The most politically correct term might be signifcant other, but that could be interpreted by some to mean you are married. Companion and partner do not seem to work, as they most usually refer to short-term couplings, e.g. one-time dates at dances and parties, etc. Another pair of terms I found is inamorato (male lover) and inamorata (female lover), but these words might be obscure. |
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I'm rather fond of squeeze myself. |
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You could say lady friend, but that sounds a bit disingenuous. I think I would go with significant other, those that seems to imply marriage. You could try describing the relationship instead of labeling it by saying that you're dating. |
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I'd suggest "person I'm seeing" or "lady I'm seeing" |
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The next best term is "significant other" but then you sound all-robotic-&-stuff. After that, my "complementary gentle-being".... |
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Also. |
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My suggestion would be "better half." |
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