noun

wlw

double-yoo-el-double-YOO

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Wlw (noun) means Women loving women: an umbrella term for women attracted to other women, taking in lesbian, bisexual, pansexual and queer women alike. Example: “The playlist is tagged wlw and sapphic.”

noun

Women loving women: an umbrella term for women attracted to other women, taking in lesbian, bisexual, pansexual and queer women alike.

"The playlist is tagged wlw and sapphic."

"She writes wlw romance novels."

adjective

Describing a relationship, character or story involving two women in love.

"It's the best wlw film I've seen this year."

"Tag the fic wlw so people can find it."

How to use wlw

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishShort for women who love women.

When to use it

Written lower case. It grew up on Tumblr, AO3 and TikTok as a tag, and is used mostly within LGBTQ+ communities. It is deliberately broad, which is why bisexual and pansexual women use it where "lesbian" would not fit.

Memory tip

Its counterpart is mlm, men loving men. Note that mlm also stands for multi-level marketing, so context matters.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

mlm sapphic → nblw

Common pairings

wlw couple wlw ship wlw representation wlw books

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

Test yourself on “wlw” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The playlist is tagged _____ and sapphic.

Etymology

An initialism of women loving women.

Origin: English

Synonyms

View more →

sapphic queer women f/f

Antonyms

mlm

Related words

lesbian sapphic

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between wlw and lesbian?

Lesbian means a woman attracted only to women. wlw is broader: it covers any woman attracted to women, including bisexual and pansexual women. Every lesbian is wlw, but not every wlw woman is a lesbian.

What is the difference between wlw and sapphic?

They overlap almost entirely and are often used interchangeably. Sapphic has a literary flavour, from the poet Sappho of Lesbos, while wlw is plainer tagging shorthand from fandom and social media.

What is the male equivalent of wlw?

mlm, meaning men loving men. Be aware that in business contexts mlm means multi-level marketing, an unrelated thing entirely.

What is the meaning of wlw?

"wlw" (noun) means women loving women: an umbrella term for women attracted to other women, taking in lesbian, bisexual, pansexual and queer women alike.

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