Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. one who leads an active and varied sex life (modern use orig. US), thus attrib.

1663–4		‘Letter’ in Etherege Poems 35: [Using aphrodisiacs] To fortify her Roman swinger.
1673		Rochester ‘Seigneur Dildo’ in Works (1999) 250: How lusty a swinger is Signior Dildo.
1684		J. Lacy Sir Hercules Buffoon V iii: Another Clap! his old Fellow has been a Swinger in’s days.
1963		Dundes & Schonhorn ‘Kansas University Sl.: A New Generation’ in AS XXXVIII:3 172: A very pretty female date: swinger.
1964		Larner & Tefferteller Addict in the Street (1966) 94: You get one of those real, so-called ‘hip chicks’, a swinger that knows the score.
1979		T. Alibrandi Custody 279: If you didn’t have such hot pants, weren’t such a slick swinger chasing everything in a skirt, your family would still be together.
1985		N. Pileggi Wiseguy (2001) 93: Frenchy began to talk about this girl friend he had who was a real swinger. She loved to screw.
1999		Guardian Rev. 16 July 8: Austin Powers goes from being a swinger to wanting monogamy.
2004		J. Ellroy ‘Jungletown Jihad’ in Destination: Morgue! (2004) 373: Fuck the corny Koran. We’re swarthy swingers.
2010		(con. 1973) C. Stella Johnny Porno 22: ‘What’s he, a fag?’ [...] ‘More like a swinger’.
2023		(con. 1962) J. Ellroy Enchanters 10: Swinger joints. Schmooze pits. Stewardess crash pads. Fag cribs and bachelorette dumps for kept women.

2. one who leads an active and sophisticated social life.

1959		T. Joans Jazz Poems 6: If you wish to be a swinger, drink and get high.
1965		L. Bruce How to Talk Dirty 2: The biggest swinger was Mr. First-Nighter.
1970		A. Young Snakes (1971) 149: The Village, that’s a place in downtown New York where all the swingers stay.
1981		J. Sullivan ‘Go West Young Man’ Only Fools and Horses [TV script] It means ravers Grandad, swingers!
1991		in J. Breslin Damon Runyon (1992) 15: ‘He’s [i.e. Frank Sinatra] some swinger,’ Mattone said.
2001		(con. 1964–8) J. Ellroy Cold Six Thousand 251: J.C.’s a swinger. He’s gigging with Judas and the Nail Drivin’ Five.
2010		L. Redhead Thrill City [ebook] Da Silva looked like an eccentric swinger uncle with his long grey hair [...] and velvet jacket.

3. one who participates in husband-and-wife swapping parties.

1969		Atlantic Monthly Sept. 35: An underground paper carries pages of ads for ‘swingers,’ couples or singles who want to trade bed partners.
1974		Galton & Simpson ‘And So To Bed’ Steptoe and Son [TV script] We’ve got an understanding. We’re a couple of swingers. We’re a very liberated couple.
1981		Indianapolis Star 28 Nov. 8/2: Among the Circle’s open swingers there are opportunities for group sex and sex between women.
2002		C. Stella Jimmy Bench-Press 8: This couple from Massapequa [...] Swingers they call themselves. [...] They had this private orgy. Both couples.
2005		P. Howard Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nightdress 273: Don’t tell me they’re focking swingers?
2014		S.A. Cosby ‘The Rat & the Cobra’ in ThugLit Mar. [ebook] The shock of hearing my dad confess to being a swinger who was being blackmailed.
2023		(con. 1962) J. Ellroy Enchanters 230: The detainees are new-breed swingers. They swing within set guidelines.

4. attrib. use of sense 3.

1999		Guardian Guide 4–10 Sept. 52: Rona and Barry get to an average of one swingers party a month.
2001		K. Sampson Outlaws (ms.) 94: These lads [...] have just got back from a fucking swingers club outside of Oldham.
2014		A. Tucher ‘Desperation’ in ThugLit Sept. [ebook] ‘The only times I've ever dressed like that, I was going to a swinger party’.