significant other
noun phrase

- a person, such as a husband/wife or lover, with whom one has a long-term intimate relationship

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Significant other is a politically correct term used to refer to one's partner in an intimate relationship without revealing the marital status or gender of the other person. It is also vague enough to avoid offending someone who might not like terms like lover, boyfriend or girlfriend.

The expression has gained popularity as "non traditional" relationships have gained acceptance in many societies over the past several decades. There was a time when the assumption was that a person was married to someone of the opposite gender or was single. Times have changed.

Now relationships can be "traditional" or "same gender," as well as official (legally married) or unofficial (simply living together). Many people are starting to describe their "significant other" as their "partner." Maybe this is because partner only has two syllables.

Whatever one wants to call it, love is something that almost everyone seeks and many people find, though it can often be a difficult road. Or as writer Brian Cramer said:

"Love is like a Rubik's Cube, there are countless numbers of wrong twists and turns, but when you get it right, it looks perfect no matter which way you look at it."

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SYNONYMS

my partner, my husband/wife, my better half, a romantic interest, my boyfriend/girlfriend, my steady, my latest flame

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PRACTICE OWAD TODAY
Say something like:

"Are you going to bring your significant other to the gala dinner?"