involuntary celibate

== English == === Etymology === Blend of involuntary +‎ celibate. Coined by "Alana" in 1997 on an online forum (originally as invcel). Came to widespread usage in the mid-2010s, chiefly online, but now more widespread. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈɪnˌsɛl/ Rhymes: -ɪnsɛl === Noun === incel (countable and uncountable, plural incels) A member of an online subculture of people (mostly men) who define themselves as unable to find a romantic or sexual partner despite desiring one. An individual who is not sexually active despite having such a desire. Synonyms: see Thesaurus:incel Antonym: volcel Hyponyms: AFChick, femcel (derogatory) A misogynistic man, with the implication that his misogyny makes him undesirable to potential partners, thus limiting his romantic and/or sexual prospects. (uncountable, seduction community, informal) "Involuntary celibacy": the state of being not sexually active despite wishing to be. Synonyms: incelibacy, love-shyness, fuckstration, AFCdom, AFCness (The addition of quotations indicative of this usage is being sought:) ==== Usage notes ==== The main difference between an incel (sense 1) and a man who simply does not have a romantic partner (sense 2) seems to lie in the identification with the online subculture. In the strict sense, 'involuntary celibate' is synonymous with sense 2, but 'incel' usually refers to the more narrowly defined online community. ==== Coordinate terms ==== Chad Stacy tyrone Trixie ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Adjective === incel (not comparable) (seduction community) Not having sexual relations despite wishing to. Hypernym: love-shy === See also === MGTOW (neologism) nice guy syndrome orbiter === References === === Anagrams === -cline, Cline, cline, incle == Danish == === Etymology === Borrowed from English incel. First attested in 2018. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈenˌsɛlˀ/ === Noun === incel (singular definite incellen, plural indefinite incels) (neologism) incel 16 August 2021, Laura Byager Rabøl, Massemorder havde “spist den sorte pille” - hvor farlige er incels?, TV2 Nyheder: === Further reading === “incel” in Den Danske Ordbog == Dutch == === Etymology === Borrowed from English incel. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈɪn.sɛl/ Hyphenation: in‧cel === Noun === incel m (plural incels, no diminutive) (neologism) incel == French == === Etymology === Unadapted borrowing from English incel. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /in.sɛl/ === Noun === incel m (plural incels) (neologism) incel == Italian == === Etymology === Borrowed from English incel. First attested in 2017. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˌinˈt͡ʃel/ Rhymes: -el Hyphenation: in‧cél === Noun === incel m (invariable) (neologism) incel == Portuguese == === Etymology === Unadapted borrowing from English incel. === Pronunciation === Rhymes: (Brazil) -ɛw Hyphenation: in‧cel === Noun === incel m or f by sense (plural incels or (rare) incéis) (neologism) incel === Adjective === incel m or f (plural incels or (rare) incéis) (neologism) incel === Further reading === “incel”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026 == Spanish == === Alternative forms === íncel === Etymology === Borrowed from English incel. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈinθel/ [ˈĩn̟.θel] (Spain) IPA(key): /ˈinsel/ [ˈĩn.sel] (Latin America, Philippines) Rhymes: -inθel (Spain) Rhymes: -insel (Latin America, Philippines) Syllabification: in‧cel === Noun === incel m or f by sense (plural inceles or incels or incel) incel == Turkish == === Etymology 1 === See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form. ==== Pronunciation ==== IPA(key): /inˈdʒæl/ ==== Verb ==== incel second-person singular imperative of incelmek === Etymology 2 === Unadapted borrowing from English incel. Word rose to prominence in Turkey on October 2024 over the killings of two women by a man with ties to the incel community. ==== Pronunciation ==== IPA(key): /ˈin.sæl/ Hyphenation: in‧sel ==== Noun ==== incel (definite accusative inceli, plural inceller) (neologism, derogatory) incel ===== Usage notes ===== Two etymologies above should not be confused, as they not only have distinct meanings, but also have their stress placed on different syllables and differ in pronunciation of the letter {c}. ===== Alternative forms ===== insel (phonetic adaptation)