Why do most questions on this site talk about a SO and not more specifically boyfriend or girlfriend? What does SO actually refer to?

[Anonymous]

SO, as far as I understand, means 'significant other', right? But when I think about the term, I don't necessarily think about the partner in a relationship, rather a person that you are very close to, and who matters a lot to you. Yes, that sometimes means boyfriend or girlfriend, but it might as well mean best friend. And actually, when I read the questions on this site, I tend to read SO as best friend, at first, until I realize that the context can't be right for that, so it must mean boyfriend or girlfriend...

[dynamicyandere]

According to Cambridge Dictionary…


significant other: a person with whom someone has a romantic or sexual relationship that has lasted for some time and that is likely to last longer



I suppose you can argue about semantics and separate the words significant and other and think of it as simple a person that is significant in someone’s like.


But colloquially it’s often referring to a romantic relationship.


Just like someone can argue that gay is technically an adjective that means happy.


And badass could be read as bad + ass and therefore referring to a misbehaving donkey since then the words are separated and used in a different context (e. g. old English) it would mean something else.


Also, if someone is talking about their husband or their fiancé, they are not simply a “boyfriend” they are more than that. But all of those subcategories fall under significant other. So, it’s used as a catch all term for someone that you’re romantically involved with.


Also, for anyone in the LGBTQ community, it makes sense to use “significant other” because what if their significant other doesn’t identify themselves using binary gender labels?


So, “significant other” just makes sense as a safe catch all term to use.

[dynamicyandere]

think of it as simply*

[dynamicyandere]

significant in someone’s life*

[OlderAndWiser]

Most people use SO to refer to either your boyfriend/girlfriend, or your spouse, but not a platonic friend.

[Asker]

I understand that this is the case on this site, but is this actually the accurate meaning in English, and i just didn't know about it?

[Friendlybro79]

Yes it is. If English isn't your first language then I understand your confusion lol. English has so many ways to say the same thing and then forget about expressions lol

[OlderAndWiser]

Yes, that is the usual meaning of SO or significant other.

[On_cloud_wine]

Sone one your dating on the regular but nothing official

[DizzyDesii]

So could be boyfriend/girlfriend/wife/husband/etc

[andreasderjuengere]

Looking at it in a precise way, ''SO'' can indeed as well indicate a split personality, or refer to my computer, a dildo or a car.

Less language-sensitive persons will normally use ''SO'' in a romantic/emotional relationship context. Where the commercial aspect of it rather is left aside.

[Friendlybro79]

Unless you've never heard the term before I'm not sure where your confusion comes from.

SO has been established to be considered as boyfriend or girlfriend or possibly husband/wife) for as long as I remember hearing it used. It would be easier for you to read into it knowing that instead of being confused. You are correct that when you read the context it is referring to boyfriend or girlfriend typically because SO means exactly that.

[jshm2]

Because these days a "SO" could be a same sex couple, a corpse, a furry, an object, a pet and pretty much everything else you can have sex with.

It is "significant" as you can have a sexual relationship with it.

[bean2k21]

SO is the pseudo-intellectual, woke way of referring to the potentially non-binary entity with whom you have a monogamous relationship. It makes you sound cool when you ask a question on snowflakesaskretards. com

[Dav1dTh0ma3]

SO is "significant other". It's supposed to mean that guys and girls who are "just friends", are "boyfriend girlfriends", but, their SO is someone they're "dating/having sex with"

[Sparkie460]

It basically covers all people that are in a relationship. It could be their boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife, or fiance.

[Noah-z]

“So” stands for significant other.

[LiamJHayden]

I doubt many, if any, other users on the site view SO that way.

[Twalli]

I use it because I am asking all people regardless of gender or sexual orientation.

[Anonymous]

Is your own fault if you think SO as best friend or someone you are close it

SO simply means my girlfriend/boyfriend/partner.

[Asker]

But doesn't it mean 'significant other'? For some people, if you ask them, thier parents are significant to them... is SO just a term that we started using without a clear explanation why and people just got used to it? The same way we type LOL when we actually mean HAHA?

[Nikki1989]

Boyfriend, girlfriend, husband or wife.

[Bricealan]

I believe it means 'Special Other" ?

[Iron_Man]

Significant other