DTR (Define The Relationship)
- “what does dtr mean”
- “how to define the relationship”
- “dtr conversation”
- “when to have the talk”
01 · Side by side
Side by side
Comparison sheet
| Aspect | DTR | Situationship |
|---|---|---|
| Is a | Conversation | State |
| Produces | Clarity | Ambiguity |
| Requires both people | Yes | No |
| Documented from | 1996 | 2008 |
02 · Which one you meant
Which one did you mean?
In shortReaders who land here meaning DTR (Define The Relationship) rather than Situationship are usually searching for phrases like “what does dtr mean”, “how to define the relationship”, “dtr conversation”.
Situationship
- “more than friends but not officially together”
- “we act like a couple but never talked about what we are”
- “the word for a relationship with no label”
- “what do you call dating someone without commitment”
03 · Which came first
Which came first
In shortDTR. 1996 — Earliest scholarly citation traced: the linguist Connie Eble's study Slang and Sociability lists 'DTR (defining the relationship)' among college-slang initialisms.
- 1996
DTR (Define The Relationship). Earliest scholarly citation traced: the linguist Connie Eble's study Slang and Sociability lists 'DTR (defining the relationship)' among college-slang initialisms.
- 2008
Situationship. Merriam-Webster's first known use of the word, some years before it spread.
04 · Read either one