sexting.
Sending or exchanging sexually suggestive or explicit messages or images through digital communication.
What does sexting mean?
Sexting names sexual communication through messages or images. The word combines the ideas of sex and texting, but the subject is the content of the exchange rather than the particular model of phone or messaging application.
A reference to sexting is not itself an example of an explicit message. A news article, moderation discussion or conversation about boundaries can use the term descriptively. The word alone does not establish who agreed to an exchange, whether material was shared onward, or what a particular message contained.
See how it lands.
Original examples written for this entry, not quotations from the sources.
They discussed their boundaries around sexting.
The article distinguishes flirting from sexting.
The right word.
The right moment.
Use it when the sexual nature of a messaging exchange is relevant. Keep descriptions factual and separate an allegation from a confirmed event.
Do not label every affectionate message this way or treat the word as proof that everyone involved agreed to every use of the material.
Not quite the same as…
flirting
Flirting can communicate romantic interest without sexual messages or images. Sexting specifically concerns sexual content in a digital exchange.
A little backstory.
The linked reference documents this meaning. This entry does not establish a single inventor or a first-use date; a dictionary record and a current popularity measurement answer different questions.
Supported by Wiktionary contributors
Still wondering?
Does sexting mean ordinary flirting?
Not necessarily. Flirting is broader; sexting identifies sexual messaging. The words can overlap in a particular exchange without being synonyms.
Does the term imply that images were sent?
No. Messages alone can fit the meaning. Read the description of the actual exchange rather than assuming an image was involved.
Sources & checks
Meaning and factual notes are informed by the references below. Examples and usage advice are original editorial writing. A source documents use; it does not measure current popularity.
- sexting — meaning and usage ↗Wiktionary contributors · checked 20 Oct 2026Supports: meaning; distinct senses