The long distance community is a tight knit group of people who are all involved in relationships in which both partners, family members or friends do not live in close proximity to one another. Although it is a truly wonderful and welcoming community, it can be hard for someone who is new to catch on to many of the abbreviations and phrases that we commonly use when referencing our relationships.

This is a short Guide to the terminology that is used within the Long Distance Community.

LDR: Long Distance Relationship

LD: Long Distance

LDRR: Long Distance Romantic Relationship

CDR: Close Distance Relationship

CD: Close Distance

S/O, SO, S.O.: Significant Other

LAT: Living Apart Together

ETA: Estimated Time of Arrival

Long-Distancers: Persons who are involved in the act of being in a long distance relationship. Usually used when referring to them as a group.

LDR Community: The Long Distance Relationship Community

IRL: In Real Life

Camming: Having an online web cam session using popular services such as Skype & Google Hangout.

Nevermets: Couples, who have never physically met, but correspond with one another through other means such as letters, email and Instant messengers.

LTR: Long Term Relationship

MilSo: Military Significant Other.

End Date: The date when long distance couples aim to be officially back together in close proximity to one another. This is the date they will work towards as a goal.

LDB/LDG: Long Distance Boyfriend/Girlfriend

LDM/LD Marriage: Long Distance Marriage

Care Package:  A package of food, money, letters or gifts that are sent to a loved one who is far away.

Long Distance Open Relationship: A romantic long distance relationship in which both partners agree that it is okay to seek romantic relationships outside of their own.

Closed The Distance: When a couple has successfully met their goal of being together and they are no longer long distance.