Aromantic (often abbreviated as "aro") is a romantic orientation that describes someone who experiences little to no romantic attraction towards other people.

Here's a breakdown of what that means:

Little to No Romantic Attraction: The core of aromanticism is a lack of or very minimal experience of romantic attraction. This distinguishes it from other orientations where romantic attraction is a significant factor.

Not a Lack of Other Feelings: It's crucial to understand that being aromantic does not mean someone doesn't experience other forms of love or affection. Aromantic individuals can have strong platonic friendships, familial bonds, and other meaningful connections. They can feel platonic love, familial love, aesthetic appreciation, sensual attraction, and even alterous attraction.

Not the Same as Asexual: Aromanticism is about romantic attraction, while asexuality is about sexual attraction. Someone can be aromantic and asexual (aroace), aromantic and sexual (experiencing sexual attraction but not romantic attraction), or alloromantic (experiencing romantic attraction) and asexual. These are separate aspects of attraction.

Spectrum of Aromanticism: Aromanticism exists on a spectrum. Some aromantic individuals may experience very little romantic attraction (grayromantic), experience it only under specific circumstances (demiromantic), or fluctuate in the intensity of their romantic attraction (aroflux).

Diverse Experiences: The experiences of aromantic individuals are diverse. Some may not desire romantic relationships at all, while others may desire close relationships that are not romantic in nature, such as queerplatonic relationships.

In simple terms, aromantic describes someone who doesn't experience romantic attraction in the way that alloromantic (non-aromantic) people do. It's a valid and important orientation, and understanding it helps to recognise the diversity of human experience with attraction and relationships.