polyamory Polyamory () is the practice of, or the desire for, romantic relationships with more than one partner at the same time, with the informed consent of all partners involved. Some people who identify as polyamorous believe in consensual non-mon ...

, a polycule is a group of individuals involved in romantic relationships that connect all the members in the group. It is not necessary for every individual of the polycule to be in a relationship with every other individual, and also not common. The most simple and arguably most common polycule structure is a V shaped structure, a three-person polycule where one person is dating the two others, but the two others are not dating one another.

Etymology

Derived as an analog to the way that atomic bonds connect the atoms in a

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

, the word is a

portmanteau In linguistics, a blend—also known as a blend word, lexical blend, or portmanteau—is a word formed by combining the meanings, and parts of the sounds, of two or more words together.

of ''polyamory'' and ''

''. The origin of the term is not clear, but it seems to 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 is a term that refers to one's partner's partner.

In popular culture

* The Canadian television

sitcom A sitcom (short for situation comedy or situational comedy) is a genre of comedy produced for radio and television, that centers on a recurring cast of character (arts), characters as they navigate humorous situations within a consistent settin ...

Schitt's Creek ''Schitt's Creek'' (stylized as ''Schitt$ Creek'') is a Canadian television sitcom created by Dan Levy (Canadian actor), Dan Levy and his father, Eugene Levy, that aired on CBC Television from 2015 to 2020. It consists of 80 episodes spread ove ...

'' includes a depiction of a three-person V structure polycule, with former lovers and best friends David Rose and Stevie Budd briefly simultaneously dating a third character, Jake. The polycule officially dissolves when Jake suggests the formation of a throuple, which David and Stevie decline. * 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 alternative history regency romance television series created by Chris Van Dusen for Netflix. Based on the book series Bridgerton (novel series), of the same name by Julia Quinn, it is Shondaland's first scripted ...

,'' Benedict Bridgerton 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 and producer. His films are characterized by their emotional complexity, eroticism, and lavish visuals. Guadagnino has received numerous accolades, including a Silver Lion, alon ...

's 2024 movie '' Challengers'' 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. * The video game

Deltarune ''Deltarune'' is an episodic role-playing video game in development by Toby Fox as a follow-up to his 2015 video game ''Undertale''. In the game, the player controls a human teenager, Kris, who is destined to save the world together with Susie ...

has a throuple in its third chapter, featuring the characters of Lanino, Elnina, and Rouxls Kaard, with Rouxls referring to the three as a "Battle Throuple".

Etymology

Terms

In popular culture

References

See also