Let’s dig into this absolutely snatched vocab!
As a romance writer, these are words that I’ve become very familiar with. And first thing’s first, let’s get our anatomy straight!
Vulva comes to us from Latin and literally means ‘womb’, but today when we say vulva we mean the part of your genitals on the outside of your body. This includes your labia, clitoris, vaginal opening, and the opening to the urethra (the hole you pee out of). Many people call this area the “vagina,” but they’re really talking about the vulva!
Vagina, also from Latin and translated as ‘sheath’, is the muscular tube leading from the external genitals to the cervix of the uterus in women (and most female mammals).
Things to keep in mind (can’t believe I have to say this):
- The womb. Having a penis stuck into your womb is impossible or very painful. Or both. Let’s go with both.
- The clitoris. It’s on the outside. It has a hood. You can’t penetrate a clit. Please don’t try.
- The labia are on the outside, and whether it’s labia majora or minora, all four of them are impenetrable.
- Venus mound – also goes by mound of Venus, mons veneris or mons pubis – refers to the mound of fatty tissue that covers the pubic bone and is an often unexplored erogenous zone. Use it. It’s hot.
Choosing your language for writing erotic scenes.
When selecting your words, it’s essential to consider what aligns best with your writing style.
Some authors prefer an abstract approach, focusing on actions beyond explicit references to genitals, thereby avoiding the need for an extensive list of synonyms.
On the other hand, if you’re a more concrete writer who wishes to delve explicitly into the action, a few fundamental terms like “pussy” or “cunt” can serve you well.
For instance, if you’re crafting a passionate romance set in the Victorian era and aiming for historical accuracy, it’s advisable to avoid modern vernacular.
You can incorporate terms appropriate for that era, but be mindful that they might be unfamiliar to contemporary readers, so provide plenty of context clues if it’s ambiguous.
Your characters have distinct voices and vocabularies, so it’s worth considering the appropriate vocabulary for each character. Even if you’re not writing a sex scene, you may find you want your characters to discuss genitalia in different context (bragging, insults etc.).
Just don’t inundate your readers with a barrage of different words for the same thing in every paragraph. Opt for a select few words that resonate with your character and employ them consistently.
How to absolutely NOT do it.
Check out AtomicApplePie on TikTok for more of these disasters.
“Rows upon rows of whiskers, like those you’d find on your childhood cat, formed topiaries around the portal to ecstasy made of lipids. At the top there is the security button, which one must ring in order to enter through the portal. Once one has garnered acceptance, you must work your way through the damp and musty swamp, and then, and only then, once you have made your way through the darkness…”
– yeah idek, check with @atomicapplepie
Don’t girlboss too close to the sun.
I see new writers get excited about writing explicit scenes, but then turn squeamish when it’s time to get down to it. Don’t be overly verbose about what’s going on, it’ll only backfire and confuse your readers – before you know it, you’ll end up with one too many hands or characters bending in a way that isn’t physically possible.
Make sure to reign in the purple prose (if not in drafting, then in editing) and always look at the whole situation from the point of view of the characters, because those are the stars. If you let your own sensibilities or shyness intervene, it won’t sound or feel authentic to the character.
Okay, time to see the list!
Now remember, this list contains the words, it’s up to you to be smart to discern which ones to use unironically. And remember to check out the dick words list here.
- Abyss
- Aphrodisiacal tennis court
- Bajingo
- Bean
- Bearded clam
- Beaver
- Beef/meat curtains
- Best in Christendom
- Bit of skate
- Bits
- Box
- Breakfast of champions
- C u next Tuesday
- Centre of paradise
- Cha-cha
- Cherry
- Cleft
- Clunge
- Cock pit
- Cooch/coochie
- Cookie
- Cooter
- Cooze/coozie
- Core
- Crevice
- Crotch
- Cunny
- Cunt (my personal favourite)
- Cupcake
- Cupid’s warehouse
- Depth/depths (a bit oceanic)
- Door of her femininity
- Down There
- Downstairs
- Entrance
- Fandango
- Fanny
- Femininity
- Flange
- Flesh
- Flower
- Foo-foo
- Foof
- Fountain of love
- Front butt
- Fur burger
- Furnace
- Furry taco
- Garden of delight
- Gash
- Girly bits
- Golden donut
- Groove
- Hair pie
- Hairy donut
- Harbor of hope
- Heat
- Ho-cake
- Hole
- Honey pot
- Hoohaa
- Hoohoo
- Hot box
- Hot sleeve of love
- Intimate folds
- Kitty
- Lady bits
- Lady garden
- Lady parts
- Love canal/tunnel
- Love’s cabinet
- Meat sleeve
- Minge
- Minky
- Minnie
- Moistness
- Mossy cleft
- Mound of Venus
- Mouth-that-cannot-bite
- Muff
- Muffin
- Nature’s treasury
- Needy place
- Nest of desire
- Nether regions
- Nunny
- Opening
- Orifice (technical term)
- Panty hamster
- Passion-moisted depths
- Peach
- Peaches and cream
- Pearly gates
- Penis fly trap
- Pink taco
- Pleasure place
- Pool of moisture
- Poon
- Poontang
- Poony
- Portal (how magical)
- Private flesh
- Private parts
- Privates
- Pussy
- Quim
- Seat of love
- Secrets (odd i know, but all depends on the character)
- Sex (as “her sex”)
- She-pocket
- Sheath
- Slit
- Snatch
- Softness
- Squeeze box
- Squinny
- The batcave
- The duckpond
- Tightness
- Treasure
- Tuna taco (whai?)
- Tutu
- Twat
- Tweeny
- Unit
- Vag
- Vagine
- Vajayjay
- Venerable monosyllable
- Venus’ cradle
- Vertical smile
- Vestibule
- Warmth (as in “into her warmth”)
- Wee wee
- Wetness
- Whitechapel portion
- Womanhood
- Wound that never heals (really?? a man came up with this fr!)
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