What the word means
Historically a cuckold was a man whose wife was unfaithful, usually without his knowledge, and it was an insult. The word comes from the cuckoo, a bird that lays its eggs in other birds' nests.
Today, in a sexual sense, cuckolding is a kink in which one partner enjoys their partner having sex with someone else, with full knowledge and agreement. The cuckold may watch, hear about it afterwards or simply know it is happening. The person their partner sleeps with is often called the bull.
Cuckquean, hotwife and other terms
A cuckquean is the female version: a woman who enjoys her partner being with another woman. A hotwife is a woman in a couple who sleeps with other people with her partner's blessing, but without the humiliation element some cuckolds enjoy.
For some people the appeal is jealousy turned into excitement, for others it is watching, and for some it is part of a wider dominant and submissive dynamic. Like any kink, it is common, legal between consenting adults and nothing to be ashamed of.
How it differs from cheating
The difference is consent. Cheating is secret and breaks the agreement a couple has. Cuckolding is agreed in advance, talked through openly and can be stopped at any time by either partner.
It sits alongside swinging and open relationships as a form of consensual non-monogamy, though it is usually more about the couple's shared fantasy than separate relationships.
Exploring it safely
Talk first, in detail and away from the bedroom: what each of you wants, what is off limits, whether you will meet the third person beforehand and how you will check in afterwards. Agree a word or signal that stops everything.
Start with fantasy and conversation before anything physical. If you do meet someone, meet in public first, use condoms and get regular sexual health checks. Many couples find their first experience through swinger clubs or sex parties, where the rules are clear and everyone is there by choice.
Your questions, answered
What does cuckold mean?
Today it usually means a person who enjoys their partner having sex with someone else, with their knowledge and agreement. Historically it meant a man whose wife was unfaithful.
What is a bull in cuckolding?
The bull is the third person who has sex with the cuckold's partner.
Is cuckolding the same as cheating?
No. Cuckolding is agreed by both partners in advance; cheating is secret and breaks the couple's agreement.