What does ‘ incel ’ mean? ‘ Incel ’ is short for ‘involuntary celibate.’ It’s used by people (mostly men) who feel frustrated because they want a romantic or sexual relationship but struggle to find one. The term started as a way for people to talk about feeling lonely. What does " incel " mean, and why is it so controversial? Understand its origins and the debates surrounding this term. Incel , short for involuntary celibacy, is a sociological term [1] and adverse life circumstance. The term describes individuals who can not engage in romantic or sexual relationships despite a desire to. The term mainly refers to men (malecel), with a counterpart term (femcel) used for women.
