Cumming

Updated: DECEMBER 15, 2020
Reviewed by Dr. Sunny Rodgers

Cumming is a slang word commonly used to describe orgasm and/or ejaculation. Its singular term, cum, describes the fluid that has been produced. Cumming can be used as a verb or a noun. When used as a verb, a person might state, “I’m cumming,” during sex to announce their impending orgasm or ejaculation. Cumming can occur through any kind of sexual stimulation, including masturbation, manual, oral, anal sex, and a wide variety of kink and fetish practices. When used as a noun, cum can refer to seminal fluid or vaginal ejaculate. Cumming can also happen without ejaculation or fluid.

Because most people have the capacity to experience orgasm and produce sexual fluids, cumming is not specific to any gender or to any sexual orientation. The term, either as a noun or a verb, can be used in any situation. Because it is slang, some might find the word distasteful for their sexual vocabulary, whereas others who enjoy dirty talk might experience a thrill when using this type of slang term during sex. Variants of the word have been used for centuries, but cumming has been most popularized in recent years in modern pornography. So much so that it has now become synonymous with the genre. In porn, it can be both sexy and practical. Performers with penises can announce their orgasm as both a cue for viewers as well as their scene partner, camera operator and director to ensure the most cinematic shot of their orgasm once achieved.

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More About Cumming

The use of the words cum and cumming can often stir a spirited debate. Should they be spelled with the ‘u’ or should they be spelled with the traditional spelling of ‘come’ and ‘coming?’ This argument has raged on for many, many years and can be quite divisive, despite the core of the situation simply defining sexual pleasure.

The full etymological history of either cumming, or coming, is unknown. The concept of using this type of word has been in the English language as a colloquialism for orgasm since at least the 1400s (principally as part of the malting process in alcohol creation) and later in an erotic poem in 1650 called “Walking in a Meadowe Greene.” The roots of the word seem to point to the ‘come’ usage, but it could be argued that ‘cum’ emerges if people consider the Latin cum, which means “in addition to.”

The debate between cumming and coming can almost be reduced down to class distinction. ‘Coming’ is sometimes deemed the mature, educated version of orgasm signifiers, whereas some will argue that cum and cumming are immature and crass, best left to younger people, porn, and sexting. However, others will note that language, much like sexuality and fluid, are mutable. It is unknown which version of the words are more popular, however cum and cumming have certainly made inroads to acceptability and prevalence as people continue embracing texting as communication. It is just that much quicker to type cum than it is come and saves space if you’re on a social media platform, like Twitter, where every letter counts.

One place where the debate frequently continues is in written erotica. Many writers chose one or the other and stick with that preference. However, they may shake their usage up among different kinds of characters and to create distinct scenes.

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