KindaFamiliar

Ummmmm age..... dead.

Taking it on faith that that is your own question and not a snippet of lyric, I've wondered about the word "boyfriend." As Gibbs GIrl said, "dead" in terms of having someone perform the role. In terms of grown-up vocab, maybe the age has passed. I feel foolish if I refer to a grown-ass man as "boyfriend," the word I used at 16. Depending on the time, mood and whom I'm speaking too, I like the casual whimsy of the unisex "sweetie." With people who don't really need to know anything, "friend" suffices and the context may say the rest. I really like "gentleman friend," but too few will notice the tip of my tongue pushing against the inside of my cheek.

P.S. There really is no good word for grown-ups. "Significant other" is so creepy, impersonal and stupid-sounding.