POSSLQ
English
editPronunciation
edit- (General American) IPA(key): /ˈpɑsl̩ˌkju/
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈpɒsl̩ˌkjuː/
Audio (US): (file)
Noun
editPOSSLQ (plural POSSLQs)
- (US Census) Abbreviation of person of the opposite sex sharing living quarters.
- c. 1981, Charles Osgood
- You live with me, and I with you / And you will be my POSSLQ / I’ll be your friend and so much more / That’s what a POSSLQ is for.
- c. 1981, Charles Osgood
Usage notes
editThe word POSSLQ entered American popular culture during the 1980s, but use outside the census context declined as unmarried cohabitation became more common and unremarkable and as the term "person of the opposite sex" excluded same-sex couples.
References
edit- Lynne M. Casper, Philip N. Cohen, Tavia Simmons (1999) “How Does POSSLQ measure up? Historical Estimates of Cohabitation”, in U.S. Census Bureau[1]