A chilling new relationship term has emerged that may unsettle you.

Most are familiar with 'polyamory'—the practice of having consensual relationships with multiple partners. However, 'tolyamory' might be new to you.

What Is Tolyamory?

This term was introduced by Dan Savage, a US relationship columnist, podcaster, and internationally recognized author.

He discussed tolyamory on his podcast, Savage Lovecast, which is a weekly sex advice show where people call in for guidance.

On his platform, Savage describes the term as a blend of 'polyamory' and 'tolerate'.

This term defines a unique relationship dynamic where one or both partners tolerate each other's extramarital relationships, without always having an open discussion about it.

Savage explains it as a situation where 'someone is willing to turn a blind eye to a lap dance or a brief affair after years of marriage'.

He further commented: "They're able to focus on all the ways their spouse demonstrates their commitment and shows their love.

"And all of those other ways compensate or make the cheating that might be happening tolerable.

"These people aren't fools or dupes. They're not to be pitied - they know what they signed up for and long ago made peace with what they got.

"They're willing to put up with it - a certain amount of it - reconciled to it, willing to tolerate it. They are, in a word, tolyamorous."

'By Our Late Thirties, Our Sex Life Sas Non-Existent'

Tolyamory proved successful for Carrie, a 45-year-old marketing manager who met her husband post-university.

As mentioned in The Times, she stated: "By our late thirties our sex life was non-existent and we were more like friends."

"But our children were under ten and we had a massive mortgage, so we couldn't afford to split up. For a while I'd had a very flirty connection with a colleague, who was also married, but never acted on it. One night, lying in bed with my husband, he said that he wouldn't feel that jealous if I had sex with someone else."

'My Wife And Her Friends Have A Night Out Together Once A Month'

"I know that involves enjoying the attention of other men, flirting and acting as if she's single," Jim, 48, added.

"I wouldn't want to be there to witness it and she'd never admit it, but going out with the girls puts a spring in her step. She's in a better mood, which has a knock-on effect on the whole family."

Tolyamory Isn't For Everyone, Though

Leanne Yau, a polyamory educator, shared with HuffPost that tolyamory is 'probably, unfortunately, the most common form of non-monogamy'.

"It conveys many people's reality and brings attention to the prevalence of these dynamics," said relationship researcher Marie Thouin.

"One or both of them are tolerating, or putting up with, their partner's non-monogamous behaviour, but not openly endorsing it."