A significant other is someone who is important to an individual, including friends and family, but usually refers to a romantic partner. It is a socially safe term that does not assume gender or relationship status and can be used in mass invitations. It can also refer to someone important in emergency contacts.
A significant other is, in the most literal form of the phrase, a person who is significant to an individual. This can include close friends and family members who have a large impact on the individual’s life. More commonly, however, the phrase “significant other” is used to refer specifically to a boyfriend or girlfriend, husband or wife, life partner, or other person in a romantic or otherwise intimate relationship with the individual.
Due to the fact that the term “significant other” does not distinguish between gender and relationship status, such as married or just dating, it is often used in reference to an individual’s romantic partner when the speaker is unfamiliar with the partner. For example, if someone invites a casual co-worker to an event, he or she might say, “feel free to bring your significant other along if you wish.” This leaves room for the person to understand that his romantic interest in hers is invited to the event, but does not assume that he is married, dating, or seeing someone of the same gender. Sticking to the term “significant other” is socially “safe” because it prevents the individual from being offended by the speaker’s choice of words or having to correct the speaker and explain their relationship.
Following the same example, even if the person inviting coworkers to an event is familiar with each coworker’s spouse, they can choose to send an email without having to individually tailor the invitations to each person’s situation. It’s much easier to write “feel free to bring your significant other” in a mass email than it is to change each invitation to say “wife,” “girlfriend,” and so on depending on the recipient of the message. This phrasing also leaves room for those who may not be dating anyone to bring along a close friend without feeling socially awkward.
Less commonly, “significant other” can also mean any person who is very important to the individual. For example, this usage might be encountered when filling out a form requesting a significant other’s phone number so they can be contacted in an emergency. In this situation, it’s just as appropriate to enter the name and phone number of a parent or close friend as it would be to leave your spouse’s name and contact information.
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