A household, or sometimes refers to a domestic arrangement involving multiple people, or a group of animals or performers.
From French 'ménage,' from Latin 'mansio' meaning dwelling place. In French, it simply means household or housekeeping.
The scandalous term 'ménage à trois' means 'household of three,' but the basic word just means any household—it's perfectly innocent until you specify who's in it!
French 'ménage à trois' carries colonial-era assumptions about women's availability and sexuality, reinforcing power hierarchies in intimate contexts.
Use the French phrase precisely when discussing history/theory, or use 'arrangement' or 'relationship structure' when referring to unconventional partnerships neutrally.
["polyamorous arrangement","cohabitation structure","relationship configuration"]
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.