What does GGG mean in dating — and the rest of the A–Z?

No. 01

What does GGG mean in dating, exactly?

GGG is shorthand for “good, giving and game”, a quick way of saying someone brings the right attitude: good company and considerate, giving of their time and affection, and game — open-minded, willing to try something new rather than saying no on reflex.

The phrase is mostly used as advice for keeping a relationship lively, so it carries a flirtatious wink, and some people use it with the bedroom in mind. On a profile, though, take it as a description of outlook, not a pledge of anything in particular. A woman who calls herself GGG is telling you she is warm, adventurous and fun — nothing more.

The right response is curiosity and good manners. Ask what she enjoys — a spur-of-the-moment trip, a restaurant neither of you has tried, dancing until late — and let her set the pace on everything else.

No. 02

What do you call a younger man dating an older woman?

There is no official word, but there are popular ones. The toy boy meaning is simpler than the jokes suggest: a grown man whose partner is a good deal older than he is, and the phrase is usually affectionate. More formally, he is her partner, and they are in an age-gap or May–December relationship.

The older woman has names of her own. Ask what a cougar is and you will usually hear: a confident woman, generally over forty, who prefers younger men and makes no secret of it. A puma is often described as the same thing a decade earlier, in her thirties, though people use both words loosely. On Dating Granny, she may simply call herself a granny who knows what she likes.

Which word should you use? Follow her lead. Some women love being called a cougar; others find it a tired cliché. Plenty of younger men wear toy boy with a grin, while a few would rather not. When in doubt, use her name — nobody has ever been offended by that.

No. 03

Granny dating terms, from admirer to cougar

The everyday words first, from A to C.

• AdmirerSomeone drawn to older women, whatever their own age. On Dating Granny, the admirers are the people writing to the grannies.
• Age gapThe difference in years between two partners. Nobody agrees where an ordinary difference ends and an age gap begins.
• Blue tick (ID verified)The badge shown on a Dating Granny profile once its owner completes the free, optional ID check. It tells others the person behind the photos has confirmed who they are.
• BreadcrumbingKeeping someone hooked with a steady trickle of flirty messages, but never getting round to suggesting a meeting. If the crumbs never turn into a date, walk away.
• CatfishA person using someone else’s photos or an invented identity. The blue tick and video verification help you check who you are really talking to.
• CougarA self-assured woman of forty or more with a taste for younger men. Sometimes used as a jibe, more often worn with pride.

No. 04

From daily matches to love bombing

Next, the modern dating words: the good, the bad and the ones worth recognising early.

• Daily matchesProfile suggestions Dating Granny puts in front of you each day, included free with every membership.
• ExclusiveAgreeing to date only each other — worth saying out loud rather than assuming.
• GhostingVanishing mid-conversation with no explanation. One polite line saying you do not feel the spark is kinder, and takes seconds.
• Gran and grannyAffectionate words for a grandmother — and, on Dating Granny, for any woman over fifty who wears the title with a smile.
• Granny datingDating built around women over fifty and whoever is attracted to them; also known as mature dating or older women dating.
• Green flagA sign someone is worth your time: they keep their word, ask about your day and accept a no gracefully.
• Honeymoon phaseThe early weeks when everything is thrilling. Lovely while it lasts — the 3-6-9 rule claims it settles at around three months.
• Love bombingA flood of affection, gifts and grand declarations very early on. Flattering, but often a warning sign; genuine interest can wait a week.

No. 05

From mature dating to zombieing

The rest of the alphabet, from silver foxes to a few safety terms worth knowing.

• Mature datingDating for grown-ups, usually from forty or fifty upwards. The phrase people in the UK and Australia tend to reach for first.
• May–DecemberA relationship with a wide age gap — spring paired with winter. The phrase traditionally pictured an older man, but it works perfectly well the other way round.
• Off-platform contactMoving a chat to WhatsApp, text or email. Dating Granny flags attempts to do this, because hurrying someone off a dating site is a classic scam move.
• PumaUsually described as a woman in her thirties who dates younger men — a cougar in the making. Definitions vary, so ask rather than assume.
• Red flagA warning sign: pushing to meet at once, asking for money, dodging a video call or telling a story that keeps changing.
• Silver foxAn attractive older man with grey or silver hair. A woman who wears her silver just as well is sometimes called a silver vixen.
• SituationshipMore than friends, less than a couple, with no agreed label. It works when you both want exactly that; it frustrates when only one of you does.
• Toy boyA younger man — always a grown one — whose partner is noticeably older. Usually said with a grin, and sometimes claimed proudly by the man himself.
• Video verificationA further identity check, done on video, that Dating Granny offers alongside the free ID check.
• VIP and VIP PlusDating Granny’s paid memberships. VIP takes away the daily message limit and opens up private group chats, the advanced search filters and the exclusive chat rooms; VIP Plus throws in exclusive matches and top spot in the match stack.
• ZombieingWhen someone who ghosted you reappears months later as if nothing happened. Whether they get a reply is entirely up to you.

No. 06

Which dating abbreviations turn up on profiles?

Anyone who remembers newspaper personal ads, where every word cost money, will know a few of these already. The rest arrived with texting and apps.

• DMDirect message: a private note to one person rather than a public comment.
• FWBFriends with benefits — friends who are also intimate without becoming a couple. It only works when both people want exactly that.
• GGGGood, giving and game. Explained in full at the top of this page.
• GILF and MILFCheeky slang for an attractive grandmother (GILF) or mother (MILF). Fine to search for, less so as an opening line — the women here have names.
• GSOHGood sense of humour. A personal-ad classic that still earns its place, though it is better shown in your messages than claimed in four letters.
• IRLIn real life: meeting face to face rather than on a screen.
• ISOIn search of. “ISO a silver fox with a passport” tells you precisely what she is after.
• LTRLong-term relationship: someone hoping to build something lasting rather than dating just for fun.
• NSANo strings attached: something casual, with no commitment expected on either side. Say so plainly if it is what you want, and never assume it is what she wants.
• WLTMWould like to meet. Another personal-ad veteran, usually followed by a short wish list.

No. 07

Which terms belong on your own profile?

Plain words win. A sentence such as “I’m 38, I’ve always preferred older women and I’d love regular dates with someone who makes me laugh” beats a string of abbreviations, because it tells her who you are and what you want in one go.

Use the playful labels if they suit you — cougar and silver fox are fair game when said with affection, and a younger man who calls himself a toy boy is usually in on the joke — but leave crude ones out entirely. If you mention NSA or FWB, be honest and courteous about it, and accept that the person you write to may be hoping for something different.

Learn the safety words as well as the flirty ones. If someone fits the catfish or red-flag descriptions above, block them — once blocked, they cannot contact or see you any more — and report them from inside the site, where the round-the-clock support team is staffed by real people.