polyamory Polyamory () is the practice of, or desire for, romantic relationships with more than one partner at the same time, with the informed consent of all partners involved. People who identify as polyamorous may believe in open relationships wi ...

, a polycule is a group of individuals involved in

romantic Romantic may refer to: Genres and eras * The Romantic era, an artistic, literary, musical and intellectual movement of the 18th and 19th centuries ** Romantic music, of that era ** Romantic poetry, of that era ** Romanticism in science, of that e ...

, sexual, and

platonic Plato's influence on Western culture was so profound that several different concepts are linked by being called Platonic or Platonist, for accepting some assumptions of Platonism, but which do not imply acceptance of that philosophy as a whole. It ...

relationships that connect all the members in the group, analogous to the way that

atomic bonds A chemical bond is a lasting attraction between atoms or ions that enables the formation of molecules and crystals. The bond may result from the electrostatic force between oppositely charged ions as in ionic bonds, or through the sharing of ...

connect the atoms in a

molecule A molecule is a group of two or more atoms held together by attractive forces known as chemical bonds; depending on context, the term may or may not include ions which satisfy this criterion. In quantum physics, organic chemistry, and bio ...

. The word is a

portmanteau A portmanteau word, or portmanteau (, ) is a blend of wordsmolecule A molecule is a group of two or more atoms held together by attractive forces known as chemical bonds; depending on context, the term may or may not include ions which satisfy this criterion. In quantum physics, organic chemistry, and bio ...

''. The origin of the term is not clear, but it seems have entered the popular lexicon starting in the early 2010s. By the 2020s, discussions of polycules had entered the mainstream media.

Terms

While polycules can take on many different configurations, there are a few common structures and terms. * V structure describes a three-person polycule where one person is dating the two others, but the two others are not dating one another. * N structure describes a four-person polycule where each couple contributes one person to a third relationship. It takes its name from the letter "N", since each line represents a relationship, and each end point represents an individual. * Throuple describes a group of three people where all individuals are in a relationship with the other two people in the group. It is also known as a type of triad. * Quad describes a four-person polycule. While N structures are all quads, not all quads are N structures. *

Metamour Metamour, sometimes spelled metamor, is a general term used to refer to an individual who is the lover of one’s lover, or partner of one’s partner, whom one is not directly romantically involved with. Examples could include the girlfriend of o ...

is a term that refers to one's partner's partner.

In popular culture

* The television program '' Riverdale'' series finale revealed a four-person polycule, or quad, between Archie, Betty, Veronica and Jughead. * In season 3 of ''

Bridgerton ''Bridgerton'' is an American historical- romance streaming television series created by Chris Van Dusen for Netflix. Based on the book series by Julia Quinn, it is Shondaland's first scripted show for Netflix. It revolves around the eponymo ...

,''

Benedict Bridgerton ''Bridgerton'' is a series of eight Regency romance novels written by Julia Quinn. Released from 2000 to 2006, it follows the eight siblings of the noble Bridgerton family as they navigate London high society in search of love, adventure and h ...

explores being in a "throuple" with Lady Tilly Arnold and Paul Suarez. *

Luca Guadagnino Luca Guadagnino (; born 10 August 1971) is an Italian film director, producer, and screenwriter. His films are often characterized by their emotional complexities, sensuality and sumptuous visuals. He is also known for his frequent collaboration ...

's 2024 movie ''

Challengers Challenger, Challengers, or The Challengers may refer to: Entertainment Comics and manga * Challenger (character), comic book character * Challengers (manga), ''Challengers'' (manga), manga by Hinako Takanaga Film and TV * The Challengers (TV ...

'' drew social media references to the three characters of Tashi, Patrick and Art as a "throuple". However, members of the polyamorous community pushed back on using the "throuple" term since the relationship dynamics didn't follow the conventions of ethical non-monogamy and transparency.

Terms

In popular culture

References

See also