BDSM Glossary
Peach Secrets BDSM Glossary
Explore the language of power, trust, and play — from soft restraints to strict protocol, this BDSM glossary is your guide to consensual kink at Peach Secrets, where confidence meets curiosity and boundaries are always respected.
Jump to: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | K | L | M | N | P | R | S | T | V | W
A
Aftercare — The emotional and physical care partners give each other after a scene, such as cuddling, warmth, reassurance, or quiet time to reconnect.
See also: Scene, Safe Word, Submission.
B
BDSM — An umbrella term for Bondage and Discipline, Dominance and Submission, Sadism and Masochism — all practiced consensually with negotiation, trust, and care.
Bondage — The act of tying, binding, or otherwise restricting someone’s movement for erotic focus, power exchange, or sensory intensity.
See also: Restraint, Rope Bondage.
Bottom — The partner receiving the sensation or action in a scene, such as being spanked, tied, or teased.
See also: Top, Submissive, Switch.
C
Collar — A symbolic or literal band worn around the neck, often representing commitment, ownership, or a formal Dominant/submissive relationship.
See also: Dominant (Dom), Submissive (sub), Master/Slave Dynamic.
Consent — The clear, informed, and enthusiastic agreement of everyone involved before and during any BDSM play.
See also: Negotiation, Safe Word, Hard Limit.
Contract — A written or verbal agreement outlining roles, limits, and expectations in a BDSM relationship or dynamic.
See also: Negotiation, Power Exchange, Protocol.
D
Dominant (Dom/Domme) — The partner who takes the leading or controlling role in a scene or relationship, guiding, directing, and caring for the submissive.
See also: Submissive (sub), Power Exchange, Switch.
Dungeon — A dedicated space equipped for BDSM play, often with furniture, restraints, and safety gear.
See also: Play Party, Scene.
E
Edge Play — Higher-risk BDSM activities that require advanced negotiation, trust, and experience, such as certain forms of breath control or intense psychological play.
See also: Hard Limit, Negotiation, Wax Play.
F
Fetish — A strong erotic focus on a specific object, material, act, or body part, such as leather, latex, or feet.
Flogger — A multi-tailed impact toy used to strike the body with varying intensity, ranging from gentle thuds to sharp bites.
See also: Sensation Play, Whip, Sadist.
G
Gag — A device placed in the mouth to limit speech or enhance feeling of vulnerability; requires extra care to preserve breathing and non-verbal safe signals.
See also: Restraint, Safe Word, Negotiation.
H
Hard Limit — An absolute “no” for a person or couple — activities they will not do under any circumstances.
See also: Limit, Consent, Negotiation.
Harness — A strappy body piece worn for bondage, decoration, or both, framing the torso and emphasizing curves.
See also: Bondage, Rope Bondage, Fetish.
Humiliation — A psychological form of play where embarrassment or degradation is used erotically, always within agreed boundaries.
See also: Roleplay, Negotiation, Aftercare.
K
Kink — Any consensual erotic interest or practice that falls outside someone’s idea of “vanilla,” from light bondage to elaborate power exchange.
L
Limit — A boundary around what a person is not comfortable doing, which can be soft (negotiable) or hard (non-negotiable).
See also: Hard Limit, Negotiation, Consent.
Lifestyle — When BDSM or kink is integrated into someone’s identity or relationship structure, beyond the occasional scene.
M
Masochist — A person who enjoys receiving pain, intensity, or challenging sensations in a consensual erotic context.
See also: Sadist, Sensation Play, Power Exchange.
Master/Slave Dynamic — A long-term, highly structured form of Dominant/submissive relationship with strong emphasis on obedience, service, and protocol.
See also: Power Exchange, Protocol, Collar.
Munch — A casual, non-play social gathering (often in a café or bar) where kinky people meet, chat, and build community in regular clothes.
See also: Lifestyle, Play Party.
N
Negotiation — The conversation partners have before play to share desires, limits, health info, and safety plans.
P
Play Party — A social event where people gather to play, watch, and connect in a BDSM-friendly space, often with house rules and safety monitors.
Power Exchange — The consensual giving and receiving of authority or control between partners, whether just for one scene or as an ongoing dynamic.
See also: Dominant (Dom/Domme), Submissive (sub), Switch.
Protocol — Agreed rules of behavior in a dynamic, such as how a submissive addresses their Dominant, moves, or presents themselves.
See also: Master/Slave Dynamic, Contract, Lifestyle.
R
Restraint — Any method of physically restricting movement, from simple cuffs to complex harnesses and rope work.
See also: Bondage, Rope Bondage, Gag.
Rigger — A person who ties or rigs rope in bondage scenes, often focusing on both safety and aesthetic.
See also: Rope Bondage, Bondage.
Roleplay — Acting out agreed characters or scenarios, from strict teacher and eager student to elaborate fantasy worlds.
See also: Scene, Humiliation, Sensation Play.
Rope Bondage — Bondage specifically using rope, often combining functional restraint with decorative patterns and intimate connection.
S
Safe Word — A pre-agreed word or signal that immediately pauses or stops play when spoken, no questions asked.
See also: Consent, Negotiation, Aftercare.
Sadist — A person who enjoys giving pain or intense sensations in a consensual erotic context.
See also: Masochist, Sensation Play, Power Exchange.
Scene — A defined period of BDSM play, from the first negotiation and warm-up to the final aftercare.
See also: Play Party, Aftercare.
Sensation Play — Exploring different sensations on the body, such as floggers, wax, feathers, or temperature, to create pleasure or intensity.
Submission — The act of yielding power or control to a trusted partner, often experienced as deeply erotic, freeing, or grounding.
See also: Dominant (Dom/Domme), Submissive (sub), Power Exchange.
Submissive (sub) — The partner who chooses to follow, serve, or surrender control within a consensual BDSM dynamic.
See also: Dominant (Dom/Domme), Submission, Switch.
Switch — Someone who enjoys both Dominant and submissive roles, depending on partner, mood, or scene.
See also: Dominant (Dom/Domme), Submissive (sub), Power Exchange.
T
Top — The partner who performs the action in a scene (tying, spanking, teasing), not necessarily in a full-time Dominant role.
See also: Bottom, Dominant (Dom/Domme), Switch.
V
Vanilla — A friendly term for sex and relationships that don’t involve kink or BDSM, used as a contrast rather than a criticism.
W
Whip — An impact toy with one or more flexible tails, often sharper and stingier than a flogger and best used with skill and care.
See also: Flogger, Sensation Play, Sadist.
Wax Play — Pouring warm (not overheated) candle wax on the skin to create waves of heat, texture, and visual drama.
See also: Sensation Play, Edge Play, Aftercare.
BDSM is not about harm — it is about consensual exploration, trust, and play. Let this glossary guide you as you discover new ways to express desire, power, and pleasure together at Peach Secrets.