So I was at the hospital the other day for my pre-admission testing. Along with giving a blood sample, all I had to do was fill out a ton of paperwork. Of course the question of who to contact in an emergency came up, and I, of course, put Terry's name down. I also put him down for the person who would be bringing me in and driving me home, so his name came up more than once. The nurse was going over the paperwork to make sure everything was filled in and she says "So who is this Terry person?" I told her he was my "signficant other" and then after I left I started thinking about that and what a ridiculous title that is. However, if that title is ridiculous, what title do I use? I know Terry has, on occassion, to make things simple, referred to me as his wife, and I've referred to him on occassion as my husband, but we're not married. On one form I filled out one time, the title "life partner" was listed and I thought that sounded good, so I circled it. The person checking that form proceeded to ask if I was gay because "life partner" refers to same-sex couples....I guess....

Significant other seems to be a universally understood title, but like I say, it is rather lacking in my opinion. According to dictionary.com, here are the definitions of significant and other:
Significant - Having or expressing a meaning; meaningful.
Having or expressing a covert meaning; suggestive: a significant glance. See Synonyms at expressive.
Having or likely to have a major effect; important: a significant change in the tax laws.
Fairly large in amount or quantity: significant casualties; no significant opposition.
Statistics. Of or relating to observations or occurrences that are too closely correlated to be attributed to chance and therefore indicate a systematic relationship.
Other - 1.
a. Being the remaining one of two or more: the other ear.
b. Being the remaining ones of several: His other books are still in storage.
2. Different from that or those implied or specified: Any other person would tell the truth.
3. Of a different character or quality: “a strange, other dimension... where his powers seemed to fail” (Lance Morrow).
4. Of a different time or era either future or past: other centuries; other generations.
5. Additional; extra: I have no other shoes.
6. Opposite or contrary; reverse: the other side.
7. Alternate; second: every other day.
8. Of the recent past: just the other day.

Ok, ok, so maybe I'm making too much of this, but we're a little old for "boyfriend/girlfriend," so it's almost to the point where we should get married just so people understand our relationship!