Personal Ads Abbreviations

When it comes to love, more and more abbreviations are entering the English language. The increase in the use of personal ads has led to the creation of more abbreviations to help overcome the restrictions on the amount of text allowed, especially when coming up with a title for the ad. Abbreviations such as ISO (in search of) and BBW (big beautiful woman) make regular appearances in personal ads and profiles.

Because of their increase usage, knowing what these abbreviations mean is very essential when utilizing internet or magazine personals and online dating agencies. They can also help free up more space to allow better descriptions of oneself when drafting personal ads.

Most of these are already well-known but I’ve taken the liberty of creating more helpful abbreviations. Those that are coined by me are marked with asterisks. Note that, instead of using the stigmatizing “divorced” I’ve opted for “formerly married”.

BBW:  Big beautiful woman

BDSM:  Bondage & discipline sadomasochism

BLK:  Black

CD:  Cross-dresser

D/D Free:  Drug- & disease-free

D/L:  Down low

FMAF*:  Formerly married Asian female

FMAM*:  Formerly married Asian male

FMBF*:  Formerly married black female

FMBM*:  Formerly married black male

FMHF*:  Formerly married Hispanic female

FMHM*:  Formerly married Hispanic male

FMM*:  Friends, maybe more

FMNF*:  Formerly married Native American female

FMNM*:  Formerly married Native American male

FMWM*:  Formerly married white male

FMWF*:  Formerly married white female

FNE:  Friends, nothing else

FWB:  Friends with “benefits”

GAM:  Gay Asian male

GBM:  Gay Black male

GHM:  Gay Hispanic male

GNM:  Gay Native American male

GWM:  Gay White male

HIS:  Hispanic

ISO:  In search of

LAF*:  Lesbian Asian female

LBF*:  Lesbian Black female

LHF*:  Lesbian Hispanic female

LNF*:  Lesbian Native American female

LWF*:  Lesbian White female

LDR:  Long-distance relationship

LTR:  Long-term relationship

NSA:  No strings attached

ONS*:  One-nightstand

PDA:  Public display of affection

PIP*:  Post-intercourse playing (or petting)

SAF:  Single Asian female

SAM:  Single Asian male

SBF:  Single black female

SBM:  Single black male

SHF*:  Single Hispanic female

SHM*:  Single Hispanic male

SNF*:  Single Native American female

SNM*:  Single Native American male

STR:  Short-term relationship

SWF:  Single white female

SWM:  Single white male

TLC:  Tender loving care

TG:  Transgender

TS:  Transsexual

TV:  Transvestite

WHT:  White