BEAR

What Does BEAR Mean in a Text?

The Growing Glossary of Dating Slang

If you're new to online dating, then I'm afraid there is whole new language with well over 250 terms for you to learn.

Particularly since the rise of the iKids, people have been far more open about their sexual preferences and desires, and this has generated a long glossary of new dating terms. Many sexual preferences are still abbreviated on dating sites, presumably with the idea that those who do not understand the term do not need to know it. That thinking does not help newcomers though. Here is the term you're looking for:

BEAR means "Large Hairy Man."

More Observations...

The word bear is used as slang for a large (i.e., overweight or muscular) hairy man. In the gay community, BEAR is used to refer to large, hairy gay men. (In this context, an OTTER is a slimmer and (usually) younger version of a BEAR.)

Image for BEAR

When I write BEAR, I mean this:

"Large Hairy Man"

Summary of Key Points

"Large Hairy Man" is, by far, the most common meaning for BEAR when it is used in a text. (Bear in mind that it could have another meaning if used in a different context.)

BEAR
Definition:	Large Hairy Man
Type:	Slang Word (Jargon)
Guessability:	1: Easy to guess
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

An Academic Look at BEAR

BEAR is a slang word. Slang refers to words, phrases and uses of language that are regarded as very informal and which are often restricted to a special context or a particular group of users.