Explanation of D/s

Explanation of and etymology for the term D/s in BDSM

D/s (D/S, D&S, D&s, DS, Ds) means dominance and "submission".

The acronym D/s was instated to emphasize the intimate relationship between dominance and submission, and the interaction between the parts in such a relationship. All BDSM relationships contains at least some D/s, but the importance of this compared to other components may vary from e.g. an agreement to be tied up to relationships where no other component of BDSM exists but ordering and obedience.

Etymology

The terms "dominance" and "submission" appeared rather late in BDSM. In the early 1980's the terms "dominant" and "submissive" appeared rather frequently in American personals as descriptions of persons, but never together and never with the most common meaning the terms have got today. In the late 1980's the acronym was used rather frequently at UseNet News group alt.sex.bondage (started 1989), usually written as "D/S" but often used as a collective term for the equally frequently used "B/D" and "S/M". However, a slide towards an interpretation as the psychological aspect of BDSM seemed to be underway already then. The fact that the acronym hadn't reached a generally agreed use then indicates that it was rather new and probably instated during the second half of the 1980's.

The above etymological information was compiled mainly from BDSM magazines and the UseNet archive on the Internet. Probably none of the terms first found on UseNet have their origin there, but have been instated in discussions within BDSM organizations, and come in more wide use through BDSM BBS's (dial-up electronic bulletin board services that were popular from the end of the 1970's until some time after the Internet boom in the 1990's). But the terms appearing on UseNet after the Internet boom have probably been spread there rather quickly after they have been instated at other forums.