# incel

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈɪnˌsɛl/ · frequency rank #96,081

## Definitions
1. A member of an online subculture of people (mostly men) who define themselves as unable to find a romantic or sexual partner despite desiring one.
2. An individual who is not sexually active despite having such a desire.
3. A misogynistic man, with the implication that his misogyny makes him undesirable to potential partners, thus limiting his romantic and/or sexual prospects.
4. "Involuntary celibacy": the state of being not sexually active despite wishing to be.

## Etymology
Blend of involuntary + celibate. Coined by "Alana" in 1997 on an online forum (originally as invcel). Came to widespread usage in the mid-2010s, chiefly online, but now more widespread.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/incel