By Bedside CSO (Chief Sex Officer)
The Bedside glossary
Shopping talk, decoded. 79 words you will bump into on toy pages, what they actually mean, and why they matter before you hit Shop. Curious what something is made of? Try the materials safety lookup or put two toys side by side.
A
- ABS plasticA hard, smooth, non-porous plastic used for the bodies of many vibrators, bullets and handles.
- Accessible toysToys designed or chosen for limited hand strength, mobility, chronic pain or fatigue: long handles, big buttons, hands-free shapes and supportive pillows.
- AftercareThe care partners give each other after sex or a scene: cuddles, water, snacks, soothing balm, cleanup and a check-in about how it felt.
- Air pulseA toy with a small soft mouth that pushes and pulls air in quick rhythmic waves over the clitoris. Nothing touches the glans directly except the rim, so it feels like a pulsing, sucking sensation rather than a vibration.
- Anal beadsA string or flexible rod of graduated balls that go in one by one and come out slowly.
- App-controlledA toy that connects to a phone app over Bluetooth, so you or a partner can control it nearby or, with an internet connection, from anywhere.
B
- BlindfoldA mask or tie that blocks sight, used to heighten touch and anticipation.
- Body-safeA loose label for a material that will not leach chemicals and can be cleaned fully. In practice, the trusted body-safe materials are silicone, glass, stainless steel, hard ABS plastic and sealed wood.
- Boiling toysSterilizing a motor-free toy by placing it in boiling water for a few minutes.
- Bondage restraintsCuffs, straps and ties used to hold a partner in place with consent, from soft under-the-bed systems to leather cuffs.
- Borosilicate glassStrong, heat-resistant glass, the same family used for lab and kitchen glassware. Glass toys are completely non-porous and very smooth.
- Bullet vibratorA small, bullet-shaped vibrator, usually a few inches long. Easy to hold, pack and use during sex.
- Butt plugA tapered toy with a narrow neck and flared base, made to sit in the anus and stay there.
C
- Clitoral stimulatorAny toy designed for the outside, mainly the clitoris: bullets, palm vibes, wands, air pulse toys and tongue-style toys.
- Cock ringA stretchy ring worn around the base of the penis, and sometimes behind the balls, that gently slows blood flow out so erections feel firmer and can last longer.
- Corded vs rechargeableCorded toys run from a wall outlet; rechargeable toys run from a built-in battery.
- Couples vibratorA flexible, usually C-shaped vibrator worn inside the vagina during penetrative sex, with one end on the G-spot and the other on the clitoris.
- Curved tipA toy whose tip bends upward, so pressure lands on the front wall when inserted.
D
- DilatorA set of smooth, graduated cylinders used to gently stretch and relax vaginal tissue, often recommended by doctors and pelvic floor therapists.
- DiscreetDescribes toys that look unassuming, run quietly, or ship in plain packaging with a neutral billing name.
- Dual densityA dildo made from two layers: a firm inner core and a softer outer layer. The core keeps it rigid enough to use, and the outside gives a little like skin.
- Dual stimulationStimulating two spots at once, usually the clitoris and G-spot, with one toy.
E
F
G
- G-spotA sensitive area on the front wall of the vagina, a couple of inches in. Many people feel it as a slightly textured zone that swells when aroused. It is closely connected to the internal parts of the clitoris.
- GirthHow big around a toy is, measured as circumference. Width or diameter is the measure straight across.
- Glycerin-freeLube made without glycerin, a sugar alcohol that adds sweetness and slip to many cheaper water-based formulas.
H
- HarnessStraps or underwear that hold a dildo in place at the hips. Styles include jock, briefs and strap-on underwear with a built-in ring.
- Heated vibratorA vibrator with a built-in warming element that brings the surface close to body temperature or a little above.
- Hybrid lubeA water-based lube with a small amount of silicone added. Creamier and longer-lasting than plain water-based.
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
- O-ringThe ring in a harness that the dildo passes through. Rings come in different inner widths, and many harnesses let you swap them.
- Oil-based lubeLube or butter made from oils like coconut or shea. Rich, long-lasting and nice for massage.
- OsmolalityA measure of how concentrated a lube is compared to your body's own fluids. High-osmolality lubes can pull water out of tissue.
P
- P-spotThe prostate, a walnut-sized gland about two to three inches inside the rectum toward the belly. Pressure there can feel intense and lead to a different kind of orgasm.
- PackerA soft, realistic penis-shaped form worn in underwear to create a bulge, used by many trans men and nonbinary people.
- PeggingStrap-on play where one partner penetrates the other anally, most often used to describe a woman pegging a man.
- PerineumThe stretch of skin between the genitals and the anus. It sits over nerve-rich tissue and, on bodies with a prostate, gives outside access to it.
- PhthalatesChemicals added to PVC to make it soft and squishy. They show up in cheap jelly toys and some older realistic toys, and they are linked to hormone disruption in health research.
- Platinum-cure siliconeSilicone cured with a platinum catalyst. It is the high grade of silicone used in medical devices: non-porous, odorless and very durable.
- PorousA material with tiny pores that can trap moisture, lube and bacteria even after washing. Jelly rubber, PVC, TPE, TPR and 'cyberskin' style materials are porous.
- Prostate massagerA curved insertable toy that presses on the prostate, often with a second arm resting on the perineum.
Q
R
- Rabbit vibratorAn insertable vibrator with a second arm for the clitoris, named after the ear-shaped arm of the original design.
- Realistic dildoA dildo shaped like a penis, often with veins, a defined head and sometimes balls.
- Remote controlA toy that comes with a small handheld remote, no phone needed.
- Rumbly vs buzzyTwo words for how a vibration feels. Rumbly vibration is lower frequency and deeper, felt through tissue. Buzzy vibration is higher frequency and sits on the surface, a bit like a phone buzz.
S
- Sex machineA motorized base that thrusts an attached dildo in and out with adjustable speed and stroke.
- Sex swingA sling or seat that hangs from a door, ceiling mount or stand to support one partner's weight.
- Sex wedgeA firm foam pillow shaped to lift hips or support bodies at angles that are tiring to hold.
- SiliconeA soft, smooth, non-porous material used on most good vibrators and dildos. It warms to body temperature and has a slight velvety grip.
- Silicone lubeLube made from silicone fluids. Very slick, long-lasting, and waterproof, so it stays put in the shower.
- SleeveThe soft insert inside a stroker or sex machine attachment, the part that actually touches skin.
- Stainless steelPolished, medical-grade metal used for weighty plugs, wands and rings. Totally non-porous and almost impossible to break.
- STPA device that lets someone without a penis urinate standing up. Many STP packers combine the function with a packer shape.
- Strap-onA dildo worn in a harness so the wearer can penetrate a partner hands-free.
- StrokerA textured sleeve, often inside a hard case, designed for penis masturbation. Some are manual; others add vibration, suction or thrusting.
- Suction cup baseA flat base that sticks to smooth surfaces like tile, glass or a sealed headboard so you can ride a dildo hands-free.
T
- Temperature playUsing warmth or coolness on skin or with toys to add sensation, such as warmed glass, chilled steel or a low-heat massage candle.
- Thick lubeA gel or cushioning lube that stays where you put it instead of running.
- Thrusting toyA toy with a motor that moves the shaft in and out, mimicking strokes, rather than only vibrating.
- Tongue vibratorA toy with a soft flicking or rolling tip designed to mimic oral sex.
- Toy cleanerA gentle spray or foam made to clean sex toys without harsh chemicals that can damage materials or irritate skin.
- Toy storageKeeping toys clean, dry and separate, usually in fabric pouches or a lockable box.
- TPEThermoplastic elastomer: a soft, stretchy, rubbery plastic used for most stroker sleeves and many budget realistic toys. It is phthalate-free but porous.
- Travel lockA button combination or app setting that stops a toy from switching on by accident in a bag.
U
V
W
- Wand vibratorA long-handled vibrator with a large round head. Known for strong, rumbly vibration over a wide area.
- Water-based lubeLube with water as the main ingredient. Safe with every toy material and with latex condoms.
- Waterproof vs splashproofWaterproof toys are sealed for full submersion. Splashproof toys handle a rinse or a wet hand but not a bath.
- Wearable vibratorA vibrator shaped to stay in place on its own, either held by a magnet in underwear or by a flexible shape that sits in the vagina.