Menage a trois?

 Alright, why didn't I know about this before??

J and I were trying to figure out the literal definition of menage a trois. We knew trois meant three, but what the heck does menage mean? Turns out, it means literally, a household:

"Ménage à trois... is a French term which originally described a domestic arrangement in which three people having sexual relations occupy the same household – the phrase literally translates as "household of three". In contemporary usage, the meaning of the term has been extended to mean any living relationship between three people, whether or not sex is involved, but because it has also been extended to refer to the actual sexual act between three people, otherwise known as a threesome, the term retains its suggestive quality." (From here).


Have I been living under a rock? Or did other people not know this? I just think it is crazy that "menage a trois" is a colloquial phrase for a threesome, but originally meant basically more of a poly relationship among three people. It seems like these days three people sharing sexual relations and a house would be referred to as a triad. Hmm. What happened in language and culture that our society lost a shared understanding of what a menage a trois used to look like? Fascinating.


Also: Menage a Trois wine is shown in the documentary preview about the polyfidelitous gay relationship in New York. J and I were so excited to find it at our Costco! So we bought it, and guess what? It tastes like regular, red wine. But still fun! (I don't know what I expected- maybe a threesome to pop out of the bottle? Haha, again- obviously my cultural understanding of a menage a trois is that I am going to get laid, and not necessarily share a house and home, with two people! Haha) AND! My parents had it at their townhouse- so now I have a conversation starter! Hahaha :-D