PLI

What Does PLI Mean? (Using PLI Online)

The Quick Answer

PLI means "Potential Love Interest."

More Observations...

A PLI is a person whom you are attracted to and whom you see as having the potential for a romantic relationship. A PLI will be someone who has qualities that you consider important in a relationship, such as charm or intelligence. A person you "fancy" or "have a crush on" may be considered a PLI. Of note, in the classic novel "Emma" by Jane Austen, the protagonist meets many "Potential Love Interests" and tries to act as a matchmaker for other characters in the story.

Image for PLI

When I write PLI, I mean this:

PLI. For every Bob there's a Betty.

Summary of Key Points

"Potential Love Interest" is, by far, the most common meaning for PLI when it is used in a text. (Bear in mind that it could have another meaning if used in a different context.)

PLI
Definition:	Potential Love Interest
Type:	Abbreviation
Guessability:	2: Quite easy to guess
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

Examples of PLI in Sentences

Here are examples of PLI in conversations:

• Tony: Hey, man, who's your PLI?
• Jordan: You're mad if you think I'd tell you!

• Tony: Bro, check out the fitty McVittie over there!
• Jordan: Hey, I think that may be Johnny's PLI!

An Academic Look at PLI

As it is pronounced using its individual letters (i.e., "Pee Ell Eye"), PLI is classified as an initialism abbreviation. Initialisms are different to acronyms, which are spoken like words. PLI is a noun phrase. A noun phrase is a phrase that plays the role of a noun. The head word in a noun phrase will be a noun or a pronoun. For example:

• I read a classic book.
(In this example, the head word is book.)
• He ate my last rolo.
(In this example, the head word is rolo.)

What Did We Say before Texting and Social Media?

Before the digital era, we might have said something like "A Potential Match" or even just "Potential Love Interest" instead of using PLI.

Example of PLI Used in a Text

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