Modern terminology Latin equivilient - swinger

A

Anonymous

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I know this will seem odd, but I need the Latin equivilent of a modern english sex term. Ideally I'm looking for a one word answer, but a short phrase will do.

I'm sure what I'm about to suggest is wrong (I've never taken a Latin class) but here goes:

The term "swinger" ("non-monogamous sexual activity, treated much like any other social activity, that can be experienced as a couple") wasn't invented until the 1950's in California. I doubt a similar word existed in Latin.

I did find the Latin word "oscillare" which means "to swing" - "oscillate" derives from it (to swing back and forth).
I did discover that Latin words for peoples end in "ae".

Oscillae = people who 'swing' (ie: swingers)? Oscillarae?

I am serious in needing to figure this out. Any help will be greatly appreciated! (Oscillarium = place where people 'swing'?)
 

Iynx

Consularis

  • Consularis

Location:
T2R6WELS, Maine, USA
1. If oscillare means "to swing" then "one who swings" might well be oscillator; oscillatio, -onis (f) means "the action of swinging".

2. There are a number of Latin words which may perhaps deserve mention in this context:

orgia, -orum (n), which according to Glare's dictionary means not exactly what you might think, but rather "Secret rites in honor of Bacchus or similar deities, mysteries..."

bacchanalia, -ium, on the other hand, probably does mean more or less what you think. A bacchanalia is a festival of bacchatio, -onis (f), which latter word describes the action, and the corresponding verb is bacchor, -ari, -atus.

There are a number of medieval Latin synonynyms for Carneval, that is both "the time immediately before Lent" and "a time for license, sexual and otherwise": carnelevarium, carnelevamen, carnislevamen, carnislevarium, carnisprivalils.

3. I don't know the extent to which such activity by couples was ever prevalent in the ancient or medieval west.
 
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