Incel
/ˈɪn.sɛl/noun
A person, usually a man, who identifies as unable to find a sexual partner despite wanting one.
Did you know?Incel is a modern portmanteau, not an ancient word, and its history is tied to internet communities where language became a badge of grievance and self-definition.
Etymological Timeline
1990s
English
involuntary celibacy
“A phrase for being unable to have sex or a relationship despite wanting one.”
1997
English
involuntary celibacy project
“An online support forum created by a Canadian woman, Alana, to discuss loneliness and dating struggles.”
Late 1990s
English
incel
“A clipped shorthand emerging from internet use of the longer phrase.”
2010s
English
incel
“A label adopted in online subcultures, increasingly associated with misogynistic grievance communities.”
Modern English
English
incel
“A person who says they are involuntarily celibate.”