Friends who also have a sexual relationship, without the commitment of dating.
| Type | Modern shorthand and terms |
|---|---|
| Category | Relationship intent |
| Stands for | Friends with benefits |
| Phrase dated | 1995 (Alanis Morissette, Head over Feet), Merriam-Webster and Wikipedia |
The phrase is usually traced to Alanis Morissette's 1995 song Head over Feet, which uses best friend with benefits, though there it describes a romantic partner who is also a friend. Merriam-Webster gives 1997 as the first known use of friend with benefits in the modern sense. The abbreviation FWB follows in the early 2000s.
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How this fits into 170 years of personal ad shorthand: From Object Matrimony to LTR: How Personal Ads Learned to Talk in Code.
All dictionary entries · The Personals Archive · How to write a personal ad
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