Non-monogamy (or nonmonogamy) is an umbrella term that describes a relationship arrangement where one or more partners are not sexually and/or romantically exclusive to each other.[1] Monogamy and non-monogamy are not strictly binary categories, but rather exist on a continuum encompassing various degrees of exclusivity and openness - at one end of this continuum lie strictly monogamous relationships, while at the other end are openly non-exclusive arrangements with numerous nuanced forms of varying degrees of openness in between.[2][3][4][5] Non-monogamous relationships have been practiced across cultures and throughout history, reflecting diverse social norms, legal frameworks, and personal preferences.[6][7][8]
In contemporary discourse, non-monogamy is understood to encompass a variety of practices, ranging from culturally institutionalised arrangements like polygamy to consensual agreements such as open relationships and polyamory, as well as non-consensual forms like infidelity.
^Nelson, Tammy (2013). Redefining your relationship after infidelity: The new monogamy. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications.
^Le Cunff, Anne-Laure (2018). "Non-Monogamy: Measuring Degrees of Sexual and Romantic Exclusivity in Relationships". SSRN Electronic Journal. doi:10.2139/ssrn.3232078. ISSN1556-5068.
^Ryan, Christopher; Jethá, Cacilda (2010). Sex at Dawn: How We Mate, Why We Stray, and What It Means for Modern Relationships. Harper. ISBN978-0-06-170780-3.
^Hicks, David (December 1988). "Literary Masks and Metaphysical Truths: Intimations from Timor". American Anthropologist. 90 (4): 807–817. doi:10.1525/aa.1988.90.4.02a00020. ISSN0002-7294.
^Cataldo, Jeremiah W. (2022-06-16), "No means yes, right? Prohibited sex in the Bible", What the Bible Says About Sex, London: Routledge, pp. 109–125, doi:10.4324/9781003164074-8, ISBN978-1-003-16407-4