You will be surprised to learn where the term 'friend zone' came from

In the world of dating, we're all familiar with terms such as "situationship," "red flags," and getting the "ick," which have gained popularity in recent years thanks to the internet.

But one term that has been around a bit longer is the "friend zone," and this is described as "the state of being friends with someone when you would prefer a romantic or sexual relationship with them," according to the Cambridge Dictionary.

It's a word that has prompted much discourse over the years, with advice on how to get out of the friend zone, discussions on how the term treats friendship as a consolation prize, and it has also been used as a plot device in various media.

And funnily enough, the latter is exactly how the term became popularised, as "friend zone" was used in an episode of the popular 90s TV sitcom Friends.

In season one, episode seven called ‘The One With The Blackout’, Joey tells Ross who has a crush on Rachel that it's “never gonna happen.”

Cast members of NBC's comedy series "Friends." Pictured: David Schwimmer as Ross Geller, Jennifer Aniston as Rachel Green, Courteney Cox as Monica Geller, Matthew Perry as Chandler Bing, Lisa Kudrow as Phoebe Buffay, Matt LeBlanc as Joey Tribbiani. Photo by Warner Bros. Television

“You and Rachel. You waited too long to make your move and now you’re in The Friend Zone," he informs him. "Ross, you’re mayor of the zone. I’m telling you, she has no idea what you’re thinking.”

Joey also urges Ross to make a move on Rachel, otherwise, he will be "stuck in the zone forever" if he doesn't.

In the end, Rachel eventually finds out about Ross's feelings towards her and they later become a popular couple on the show thanks to their foundation of friendship - but it wasn't without their ups and downs (like the whole "We were on a break" debacle").

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