indulging in casual and indiscriminate sexual relationships consisting of a number of dissimilar parts or elements mingled in a confused or indiscriminate manner indiscriminate in selection casual or heedless
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
pro•mis•cu•ous /prəˈmɪskyuəs/USA pronunciation
adj.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- having numerous sexual partners.
- indiscriminate;
unselective:the promiscuous awarding of prizes.
pro•mis•cu•ous
(prə mis′kyo̅o̅ əs),USA pronunciation adj.
pro•mis′cu•ous•ly, adv.
pro•mis′cu•ous•ness, n.
- characterized by or involving indiscriminate mingling or association, esp. having sexual relations with a number of partners on a casual basis.
- consisting of parts, elements, or individuals of different kinds brought together without order.
- indiscriminate;
without discrimination. - casual;
irregular;
haphazard.
- Latin prōmiscuus mixed up, equivalent. to prō- pro-1 + misc(ēre) to mix + -uus deverbal adjective, adjectival suffix; see -ous
- 1595–1605
pro•mis′cu•ous•ness, n.
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged unchaste.
- 2.See corresponding entry in Unabridged hodgepodge, confused, mixed, jumbled. See miscellaneous.
- 3.See corresponding entry in Unabridged careless.
- 1, 2.See corresponding entry in Unabridged pure.
- 3.See corresponding entry in Unabridged selective.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
'promiscuous' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
bike
- broad
- chippy
- cocotte
- fast
- fool
- fuck
- harlot
- hussy
- immoral
- indiscriminate
- lecher
- lechery
- licentious
- light
- loose
- miscellaneous
- orgy
- play
- pro-
- promiscuity
- quiff
- run around
- scarlet woman
- screw
- scrubber
- skanky
- sleep
- sleep around
- slut
- strap
- strumpet
- swinger
- tart
- tramp
- trollop
- wench
- wholesale
- whore
- wild oat