shipping
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
The desire by followers of a fandom for two or more people, either real-life people or fictional characters, to be in a romantic or sexual relationship.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “shipping” mean?
The desire by followers of a fandom for two or more people, either real-life people or fictional characters, to be in a romantic or sexual relationship.
Is “shipping” formal or informal?
shipping is generally slang.