threeway

Threeway is a term that can refer to several concepts linked by the idea of three participants or three-way configurations. The most common contemporary use is informal slang for a sexual encounter or relationship involving three adults. In this sense, a threeway may be casual or form part of a longer-term arrangement such as a triad or polyamorous relationship. Discussions of consent, boundaries, communication, and safety are central in any threeway context.

Outside sexual contexts, threeway sometimes describes a three-way junction, such as a road junction or an electrical arrangement with three pathways. In electrical terminology, three-way switches allow control of a single light from two different locations; the phrase is often hyphenated as three-way rather than as one word.

In culture and scholarship, threeway concepts appear in studies of sexuality, relationships, and media representation. Researchers emphasize the diversity of arrangements, varying norms across cultures, and the ethical considerations related to consent, power dynamics, and privacy. The term is related to but distinct from threesome, triad, and polyamory, and usage can vary by region and community.