What's more than a girlfriend but less than a wife? [duplicate]
Let's say I am in a committed relationship with a woman, but we are not married; talking about her as "my girlfriend" seems a bit silly, as it conveys the idea of something juvenile, and 1) our relationship is serious and stable and 2) while she's not old, she is definitely not a "girl" anymore.
However, we are not married, thus "my wife" would be an exaggeration; "my woman" could do, but I don't really like it, as it seems to imply an idea of possession rather than companionship. There also are "companion" and "partner", but they don't necessarily mean a romantic relationship. And, of course, "lover" seems more appropriate for a sex affair than a stable relation.
What is the right word to use here?
Also, the inverse variant (being in a committed relationship with a man who is not your husband, and calling him your "boyfriend" doesn't seem right).
Solution 1:
There are a couple of terms, neither of which I really care for, but you hear them often:
- Significant other - works for man or woman
- Life partner - used often to cover all the bases of sexual orientation
They seem to also fill a need where political correctness is important, but they can be used without that factor.
By the way, in some situations and under certain laws, they are called common law husbands and wives (spouses), whether they choose to consider themselves that way or not.
Solution 2:
My father, who died last year aged 99 years and 9 months was in just such a relationship for the last thirty years of his life.
I always referred to his partner (who was a beloved member of the family), including when introducing her to people, as my father's lady-friend. Our children, when they were young called her auntie.