Sugar dating terms explained
SB and SD describe support roles; PPM and allowance describe different ways of arranging support. Terms such as discreet, casual and exclusive need more explanation. This glossary gives working meanings and the follow-up questions to ask before agreeing to anything.
People and relationships
- Sugar dating: adult dating in which financial or material support is an explicit subject of discussion.
- Sugar baby / SB: a label some people use for the person receiving support.
- Sugar daddy / SD or sugar mommy: labels some people use for a person offering support. Sugar partner is a less gendered option.
- Arrangement: the understanding the people involved develop about their relationship, support and practical expectations. The word does not supply those details on its own.
Use the labels a person chooses for themselves. A role label does not describe someone’s full identity or establish who gets to make decisions. If you prefer ordinary language such as “partner” or “person I am dating,” you can say that.
Support terms
| Term | Working meaning | What to clarify |
|---|---|---|
| PPM / pay per meet | Support on a per-meeting basis. | What counts as a meeting, timing and changed plans. |
| Allowance | Recurring support for an agreed period. | Amount, currency, exact period and schedule. |
| Gifts / spoiling | Gifts or experiences someone may offer. | Whether these are optional, separately agreed, or being confused with regular support. |
| Expenses | Costs such as transport, meals or accommodation. | Who agrees to each cost before it is incurred. |
PPM / pay per meet
- Working meaning
- Support on a per-meeting basis.
- What to clarify
- What counts as a meeting, timing and changed plans.
Allowance
- Working meaning
- Recurring support for an agreed period.
- What to clarify
- Amount, currency, exact period and schedule.
Gifts / spoiling
- Working meaning
- Gifts or experiences someone may offer.
- What to clarify
- Whether these are optional, separately agreed, or being confused with regular support.
Expenses
- Working meaning
- Costs such as transport, meals or accommodation.
- What to clarify
- Who agrees to each cost before it is incurred.
For example, “I offer an allowance” leaves the amount and schedule open. “I enjoy giving gifts” does not tell you whether dependable financial support is part of the proposal. Ask directly rather than inferring one from the other.
Meeting and contact terms
- M&G / meet and greet: an initial meeting to get to know each other. The abbreviation does not establish support, expenses, length or what happens afterwards.
- POT / potential partner: someone a person is considering an arrangement with. It is not an agreement to continue.
- Discreet: a request for privacy whose details still need discussing, such as photos, names, public meetings and introductions.
- Hosting: having someone visit a home or another space. An invitation to visit does not settle overnight stays or intimacy.
A useful check is to describe the proposed plan without abbreviations: “Would you like to meet for coffee on Saturday to get to know each other?” Then discuss any travel costs or other expectations before either person commits.
Relationship shorthand
NSA means “no strings attached,” but people can use it to mean different limits on commitment or emotional involvement. Ask what the person does and does not want. Casual does not remove the need for respect, boundaries or a clear way to end things.
With “exclusive,” ask which part of the relationship is exclusive: dating, intimacy, other sugar arrangements, or something else? “Platonic” is generally used to describe a connection without sexual intimacy. Respect the limits someone describes when they use either label.
When a term is unclear
Ask “What does that mean to you?” even if you have seen the term before. Follow with “What would that look like for us?” If the explanation stays vague, say which detail you need before deciding: the support schedule, for example, or what an overnight invitation includes.
This glossary is a reading aid, not a rulebook. Communities and individuals use words differently, and a platform may set its own rules. Understanding a term does not establish whether a particular plan is appropriate, lawful where you are, or right for you.
Sources and further reading
- Sugarbook: Sugar dating terms (opens in a new tab)
One dating platform’s vocabulary, used only as an example of terminology. Its commercial claims and examples are not endorsed.
- RAINN: Consent 101 (opens in a new tab)
Explains voluntary, ongoing consent and the right to change your mind. It does not define sugar arrangements.