Poly relationship (from 'polygamy', 'polyamory' et al.) is a blanket term covering forms of interpersonal relationship in which some or all participants have multiple marital, sexual, and/or romantic partners. Such relationships are also sometimes termed nonmonogamous.
Forms of poly relationships, described in more detail at their respective pages, include:
Many of these terms are flexible in definition, because the boundaries between sexual attraction and romantic love are not sharply defined. In addition, usage creates distinctions beyond the raw definitions of the words. Thus, even though some relationships might technically be considered both polygamous and polyamorous, 'polygamy' usually signifies a codified form of multiple marriage, based on established religious teachings, while 'polyamory' is based on the preferences of the participants rather than established precedent.
The term 'poly relationship' is generally used only where all participants acknowledge the relationship as nonmonogamous. Thus, it is not applied where one person has multiple partners due to infidelity.
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"Poly relationship".
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