# What is the minimum number of people needed for an orgy?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-minimum-number-of-people-needed-for-an-orgy/561184
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [November 19, 2010, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-minimum-number-of-people-needed-for-an-orgy/561184 "2010-11-19T03:09:01Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-minimum-number-of-people-needed-for-an-orgy/561184/1 "2010-11-19T03:09:01Z")
The title says it all, but the poll is forthcoming (hurr hurr!)
A typical dictionary definition of Orgy runs thus: A revel involving unrestrained sexual activity.
You’ll note that no number is specified, and the parameters are wide enough that it’s possible to have an Orgy of One (Army take note of this potential recruiting slogan.) But I reject this. One is the loneliest number, after all.
For me, two would be the lowest possible number to realistically consider. But to me a couple coupling, even in the most enthusiastic and experimental ways, is still a couple having sex, not an orgy.
Some claim three can be an orgy, but this concept displeases me for aesthetic reasons. Three’s a threesome! A menage a trois! Troilism! Fun, but common enough that it’s not so kinky anymore. And an orgy should definitely be kinky.
I’ve heard compelling arguments that four is the magic number, as it becomes much more possible to not know who’s doing what to you while participating with 3 other folks. I’m not completely sold on that number, though an especially strong case for it can be made if said four people aren’t just two couples, as in FFFM or MMMF.
I personally think it’s definitely an orgy at five, as that number rises above just having two couples get naughty in the same room at the same time.
Others think it’s not so much the number as the activity going on. It has to be sufficiently mixed up; 8 couples, all coupling with their partner and watching the other couples do the same wouldn’t qualify as an orgy, but 3 people in some sort of chain configuration would.
So what do you think?
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### Author:  [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-minimum-number-of-people-needed-for-an-orgy/561184/2 "2010-11-19T03:14:42Z")
Three is only an orgy if everyone’s the same sex.
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### Author:  [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-minimum-number-of-people-needed-for-an-orgy/561184/3 "2010-11-19T03:28:44Z")
An orgy, at the barest minimum, should have enough people to make every type of coupling possible-M/M, M/F, F/F, M/M/F, F/F/M.
Four.
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### Author:  [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-minimum-number-of-people-needed-for-an-orgy/561184/4 "2010-11-19T03:32:09Z")
Five. It’s twosome, threesome, foursome, moresome. 😃
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### Author:  [@The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_King_of_Soup)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-minimum-number-of-people-needed-for-an-orgy/561184/5 "2010-11-19T03:38:21Z")
(Imagine the triumphal brass and drums, please):
As long as a party wants **an** orgasm;
This party will need an **orgy** to provide it;
I am proud to be a part **of** that cause;
I believe in the difference **one** horny guy can make.
I am an orgy. An orgy of one.
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### Author:  [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-minimum-number-of-people-needed-for-an-orgy/561184/6 "2010-11-19T03:42:09Z")
Having participated in quite a few, it can really depend on the rules set beforehand. Some are strict M/F gettogethers, where an even number is desirable. Some are M/F/F, where the females may interact with the males, but not with each other-minimum of five. The ones I attend are a little freer-there are two rules:
1. Ask first, and be ready to take a “no” answer gracefully.
2. If you are offended that you were asked in the first place because of the gender, weight, heighth or any other feature of the asker, you don’t really belong here. If you _say_ no, do so politely.
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### Author:  [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-minimum-number-of-people-needed-for-an-orgy/561184/7 "2010-11-19T04:11:20Z")
Well three people is a three-way not an orgy
Four MAY be an orgy but it usually breaks into two seperate twosomes.
So five is the real start number. Of course that mean you participate not just watch. _[The Family Circus](http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/192/familycircus0621.jpg)_ confirms this.
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### Author:  [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-minimum-number-of-people-needed-for-an-orgy/561184/8 "2010-11-19T04:33:14Z")
It is the rule of fives.
All hail Discordia.
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### Author:  [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-minimum-number-of-people-needed-for-an-orgy/561184/9 "2010-11-19T04:36:41Z")
If one person’s committed enough, that’s all you need.
Can orgy of one be my new slogan?
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### Author:  [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-minimum-number-of-people-needed-for-an-orgy/561184/10 "2010-11-19T04:49:27Z")
We fuck more by 8 AM than most people fuck all day.
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### Author:  [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-minimum-number-of-people-needed-for-an-orgy/561184/11 "2010-11-19T06:01:25Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#):
>
> An orgy, at the barest minimum, should have enough people to make every type of coupling possible-M/M, M/F, F/F, M/M/F, F/F/M.
> Four.
I went with four as well, but isn’t there also M/M/M/etc? You just chain 'em up?
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### Author:  [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-minimum-number-of-people-needed-for-an-orgy/561184/12 "2010-11-19T06:32:22Z")
I said ‘four’, because that’s the minimum number to have two physically-separate interactions in the same room.
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### Author:  [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-minimum-number-of-people-needed-for-an-orgy/561184/13 "2010-11-19T07:19:26Z")
Four’s definitely not an optimum. But it qualifies as a minimum.
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### Author:  [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-minimum-number-of-people-needed-for-an-orgy/561184/14 "2010-11-19T07:41:40Z")
More than three to qualify for the bare minimum, but the more bodies you add, the orgier it gets.
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### Author:  [@Containing\_Iron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Containing_Iron)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-minimum-number-of-people-needed-for-an-orgy/561184/15 "2010-11-19T07:48:05Z")
The way I learned to count it’s mono-, di-, poly-
minimum is 3!
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### Author:  [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-minimum-number-of-people-needed-for-an-orgy/561184/16 "2010-11-19T09:50:04Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#):
>
> An orgy, at the barest minimum, should have enough people to make every type of coupling possible-M/M, M/F, F/F, M/M/F, F/F/M.
> Four.
So that little scene **Fried Dough Ho** walked on wouldn’t count, on account of every participant being the same gender? Do you also belong to the school of thought that oral and anal ain’t sex?
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### Author:  [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-minimum-number-of-people-needed-for-an-orgy/561184/17 "2010-11-19T11:08:49Z")
I picked five as the magic number. Someone has to be available to take photographs, serve snacks and drinks, clean up as needed, give advice, etc., etc.
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### Author:  [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-minimum-number-of-people-needed-for-an-orgy/561184/18 "2010-11-19T11:23:32Z")
It depends on whether you pronounce “orgy” with a hard g or soft g.
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### Author:  [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-minimum-number-of-people-needed-for-an-orgy/561184/19 "2010-11-19T14:45:03Z")
I have no knowledge in these matters, but “five” sounded right to me as a wordsmith. Two is a couple, three is a threesome, four is two couples, five plus is an orgy.
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### Author:  [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-minimum-number-of-people-needed-for-an-orgy/561184/20 "2010-11-19T14:48:47Z")
Five.
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