Intimate relationships

manner in which humans engage sexually

thumb|upright=1.35|A joyful hug between two women at a wedding A hug is a form of endearment, found in virtually all human communities, in which two or more people put their arms around the neck, back, under the armpits or waists of one another and hold each other closely. If more than two people are involved, it may be referred to as a group hug.

alt=In a painting, a naked woman reclines on a bed. Her gaze is averted from a muscular, bearded, older man, who gestures decisively. A naked man reclines beside the woman, holding her protectively.|thumb|Venus (goddess)|Venus and Mars Surprised by Vulcan, by [[Alessandro Varotari. In ancient Roman religion, Vulcan discovers his wife, Venus, having an affair with Mars.]]

Cohabitation is an arrangement where people who are not legally married live together as a couple. They are often involved in a romantic or sexually intimate relationship on a long-term or permanent basis. Such arrangements have become increasingly common in Western countries since the late 20th century, led by changing social views, especially regarding marriage. The term dates from the mid 16th century, being used with this meaning as early as 1530.

Polyamory () is the practice or support of, maintaining committed, romantic, and/or sexual relationships with more than one partner, in parallel or concurrently, with the consent of all involved partners. Polyamory allows for ethical-non-monogamy (ENM) which is a subset of the broader consensual non-monogamy. Many people who identify as polyamorous believe in a conscious management of jealousy and reject the view that sexual and relational exclusivity (monogamy) are prerequisites for deep, committed, long-term, loving relationships. When members of a closed polyamorous relationship restrict th

physical or emotional intimacy between humans

A girlfriend is a woman who is a friend, acquaintance or partner to the speaker, usually a female companion with whom one is platonically, romantically, or sexually involved. In a romantic context, this normally signifies a committed relationship where the individuals are not married. Other titles, for example "wife" usually signify that the individuals are legally married.

day that is marked in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and China on March 14, one month after Valentine's Day

thumb|240px|Illustration from Tacuinum Sanitatis, a medieval handbook by [[Ibn Butlan on health and wellness]] The consummation of a marriage, or simply consummation, is the first officially credited act of sexual intercourse following marriage. In many traditions and statutes of civil or religious law, the definition usually refers to penile–vaginal penetration (i.e., heterosexual), and some religious doctrines hold an additional requirement prohibiting contraception. In this sense, "a marriage is consummated only if the conjugal act performed deposits semen in the vagina."

romantic relationship with three partners

platonic relationship wherein one person wishes to enter into a romantic or sexual relationship, while the other does not

A boyfriend is a man who is a friend or acquaintance to the speaker, often specifying a regular male companion with whom a person is platonically, romantically or sexually involved.

personal introductory system whereby individuals can find and contact each other over the Internet to arrange a date

process of development of a close, interpersonal relationship

term used in Japan to describe men who have no interest in getting married or finding a girlfriend

annual event

sensual proximity or touching

walking or driving around a neighborhood or other area in search of sex

the relationship between a mother and her child

Psychological disorder

emotional aspects of an intimate relationship

money-for-companionship relationship

acts of physical intimacy in the view of others

Amatonormativity () is the set of societal assumptions that everyone prospers with an exclusive romantic relationship. Elizabeth Brake coined the term in her 2012 book Minimizing Marriage to capture societal assumptions about romance. The term has since become established in queer theory, literary studies, in self-help books for aromantic people, and popular science books about aromanticism. Brake wanted to describe the pressure she received by many to prioritize marriage in her own life when she did not want to. Amatonormativity extends beyond social pressures for marriage to include general

Self-disclosure is a process of communication by which one person reveals information about themselves to another. The information can be descriptive or evaluative, and can include thoughts, feelings, aspirations, goals, failures, successes, fears, and dreams, as well as one's likes, dislikes, and favorites.

relationship between two or more people who have met online

informal term used for expressing sincerity, faith, love, or good friendship

living arrangement

very close but non-sexual relationship between friends, often involving a degree of physical and emotional intimacy

Groping is a type of sexual assault involving the intentional inappropriate touching of another person commonly without their consent. The term generally has a negative connotation in many societies. Touching a consenting person's body during sexual activity, a massage, or a medical examination is not usually considered groping, though the term is sometimes used to include clumsy, selfish, or inappropriate sexual touching. Areas of the body most frequently groped include the buttocks, breasts, vulva, thigh, penis, and scrotum. Gropers might use their hands, but pressing any part of their body

branch of nonverbal communication that refers to the ways in which people and animals communicate, and interact via the sense of touch

behaviour of an abusive person seeking to gain and maintains power and control

belief that relationships should be unbound by rules except those with a mutual agreement

violent crime which is done because of sudden strong impulse such as sudden rage

The Shidduch (, pl. shidduchim , Aramaic shidduchin) is a system of matchmaking in which Jewish singles are introduced to one another in Orthodox Jewish communities for the purpose of marriage.

relationship without commitments

thumb|upright=1.35 |Depiction of many types of non-monogamy and how they overlap

popular psychology

type of interpersonal relationship

Co-sleeping or bed sharing is a practice in which babies and young children sleep close to one or both parents, as opposed to in a separate room. Co-sleeping individuals sleep in sensory proximity to one another, where the individual senses the presence of others. This sensory proximity can either be triggered by touch, smell, taste, or noise. Therefore, the individuals can be a few centimeters away or on the other side of the room and still have an effect on the other. It is standard practice in many parts of the world, and is practiced by a significant minority in countries where cribs are a

irrational fear or avoidance of long-term partnership or marriage

human bond between a father and his child

parental disapproval intensifies romantic bonds

seeking of a third partner by a couple

Practice of a couple wearing the same clothing

traditional social custom and courting behavior

thumb|180px|Two men holding hands is a homoaffective act that does not necessarily have a sexual or erotic background. Homoaffectivity is a neologism describing expressions of affection and appreciation between individuals of the same sex. It refers to emotions and feelings that may occur between men or between women, without necessarily implying erotic (homoeroticism) or sexual (homosexuality) connotations. The term is used to distinguish same-sex interactions that carry different implications and contexts. Homoaffectivity has been studied and applied in various fields, including the social s

romantic relationship without official recognition