As you delve deeper into the world of BDSM, you will come across various terms that refer to specific roles in a relationship. These roles reflect various power dynamics and preferences. To help you find your way around, we have prepared a comprehensive list explaining each term.
Alphabetical list of specific terms for various BDSM roles
Big – A person who takes on a caregiving role and takes care of little or middle during BDSM age play.
Bottom – A person who agrees to give up control and receive the stimulation during kinky activities, not necessarily submissive.
Brat – A mischievous submissive who often challenges and provokes the Dominant with teasing and disrespectful behavior.
Brat Tamer – A Dominant who enjoys handling bratty submissives.
Caregiver – A Dominant who nurtures, protects, and supports the submissive. This term is often (but not exclusively) related to age play and includes roles such as Daddy, Mummy, and Big.
Daddy – One of the caregiver dominant roles that is often paired with a submissive Little.
Degradee/Degradation receiver – A person who enjoys being consensually humiliated and degraded.
Degrader/Degradation giver – A person who enjoys consensually humiliating and degrading a partner.
Disciplinarian – A Dominant who is focused on firm discipline and administering punishments.
Doll – A person who enjoys objectification and wants to be transformed into a living doll.
Dom – Male (or neutral) Dominant, the one who consensually takes control and power in a relationship or scene.
Domme – Female Dominant, consensually takes control and power in a relationship or scene.
Fetishist – A person who is aroused by various objects or non-sexual body parts.
Handler – A person with a Dominant role who manages and trains the submissive in a pet play dynamic.
Kinkster – A person who doesn’t want to define their role while engaging in various BDSM activities, such as power exchange, roleplay, sadomasochism, and others.
Little (girl/boy) – An adult person who takes on a younger, childlike persona during BDSM age play.
Masochist – A person who enjoys consensually receiving pain or humiliation. Emotionally, mentally, or physically.
Master – A person who consensually takes ownership and deep authority over a submissive (often a slave)
Middle – An adult person who takes on an older child or teen persona during BDSM age play.
Mistress – A female who consensually takes ownership and deep authority over a submissive (often a slave)
Mommy – One of the female caregiver dominant roles that is often paired with a submissive Little.
Owner – A person who owns and takes responsibility over a submissive who plays a Pet, often in a 24/7 dynamic.
Pet – A submissive who takes on animal-like traits or behaviors (like puppy, kitten, or pony), often as a part of pet play.
Primal Hunter – The dominant who chases, tracks, or controls the prey in primal play.
Primal Prey – The submissive who is hunted or pursued in primal play.
Rigger – A person who ties in bondage. This term can be used in a similar sense as Rope Top but emphasizes technical skills, knowledge, and artistry in rope bondage, and does not have to refer to a power dynamic role.
Rope Top – A person who performs rope bondage. This term can be used in a similar sense to Rigger but emphasizes the power dynamic and focuses more on the role in the scene.
Rope Bottom – A person who receives rope bondage.
Rope Bunny – An alternative term for a person who receives rope bondage, often a model for performance, photography, or demos.
Sadist – A person who derives pleasure from consensually inflicting pain or humiliation on someone, emotionally, mentally, or physically.
Sadomasochist – A person who engages in sadism and/or masochism.
Slave – A highly submissive person who agrees to give total control to a Master or Mistress.
Spankee – A person who enjoys being spanked.
Spanker – A person who enjoys spanking others.
Spanko – A person who is really into spanking and/or being spanked.
Sub/Submissive – A general term for a submissive partner who agrees to give up control and submit in a relationship or scene.
Switch – A person who enjoys both dominant and submissive roles, depending on their mood, partner, and other context. Some switches can even change the power dynamics during the scene.
Tamer – A Dominant who subdues or controls a more wild, animalistic submissive in primal play.
Top – A person who is in control during kinky activities (like flogging and tying) and doesn’t necessarily have to be Dominant.
Toy/Object – A submissive who enjoys being treated and played with like a toy or any other object instead of a person.
Vanilla – A person who is not into kink or BDSM.