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Polycule

In polyamory, a polycule is a group of individuals involved in romantic relationships that connect all the members in the group.[1]

Sources: grade B×4, grade C×7. Last checked 13 October 2026. What the grades mean

It is neither necessary nor common for every individual in a polycule to be in a relationship with every other individual.[2] Polycules can take many different configurations, but there are a few common structures and terms.[3] Polyamory can take the form of a triad of three people in an intimate relationship, a "vee" with one person as the pivot point, and various other intimate networks.[4]

One style is sometimes called kitchen table polyamory.[5] In it, all members of a polycule are comfortable and connected enough that they may gather around the kitchen table and spend holidays, birthdays or other important times together.[6] This emphasises family-style connections, and not all members are necessarily sexually or romantically involved with every other person in the group.[6]

Other styles exist, such as parallel polyamory, where members of individual relationships prefer not to meet or know details of their partners' other relationships.[6] Solo polyamory describes non-monogamous individuals who do not want a primary partner.[7]

A partner's other significant others are often referred to as metamours or OSOs.[8] It is usually preferred or encouraged that a polyamorist view them in terms of the gain to their partners' lives rather than as a threat to their own, an approach linked to compersion.[8][9]

Sources

  1. Source grade CBergner, Interviews by Daniel (2024-04-15). "Lessons From a 20-Person Polycule" . The New York Times . ISSN 0362-4331 . Retrieved 2024-07-21 . nytimes.com; Dumais, Eliza; Engle, Gigi (2024-01-18). "Sure, We'll Tell You About Polycules" . Cosmopolitan . Retrieved 2024-07-21 . cosmopolitan.com (via Wikipedia: Polycule)
  2. Source grade CBote, Joshua. "What you need to know about polyamory – including throuples – but were too afraid to ask" . USA TODAY . Retrieved 2024-07-21 . usatoday.com; Angelini, Jillian (2024-04-09). "Polycules Are Common In Ethical Non-Monogamy – Here's What They Are" . Women's Health . Retrieved 2024-07-21 . womenshealthmag.com (via Wikipedia: Polycule)
  3. Source grade CDumais, Eliza; Engle, Gigi (2024-01-18). "Sure, We'll Tell You About Polycules" . Cosmopolitan . Retrieved 2024-07-21 . cosmopolitan.com (via Wikipedia: Polycule)
  4. Source grade BWeitzman, Geri (2006). "Therapy with Clients Who Are Bisexual and Polyamorous" . Journal of Bisexuality . 6 ( 1– 2): 137– 164. doi : 10.1300/J159v06n01_08 . S2CID 143967318 . Archived from the original on March 18, 2015 . Retrieved December 4, 2006 . web.archive.org; Bennett, Jessica (July 29, 2009). "Polyamory: The Next Sexual Revolution?" . Newsweek . Archived from the original on November 4, 2020 . Retrieved December 23, 2020 . newsweek.com; Davidson, Joy (April 16, 2002). "Working with Polyamorous Clients in the Clinical Setting" . Electronic Journal of Human Sexuality . 5 . Archived from the original on September 19, 2020 . Retrieved December 23, 2020 . Also delivered to the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality , Western Regional Conference, April 2002. web.archive.org (via Wikipedia: Polyamory)
  5. Source grade CSlone, Isabel B. (June 9, 2020). "How a polyamorous Toronto man is managing his four romantic relationships remotely" . Toronto Life . Archived from the original on July 2, 2020 . Retrieved December 24, 2020 . torontolife.com (via Wikipedia: Polyamory)
  6. Source grade BBergdall, Melissa K.; Blumer, Markie L. C. (January 2, 2015). "More Than Two: A Practical Guide to Ethical Polyamory, by Franklin Veaux and Eve Rickert". Journal of Feminist Family Therapy . 27 (1): 40– 45. doi : 10.1080/08952833.2015.1005963 . ISSN 0895-2833 . S2CID 143233814 . doi.org; Veaux, Franklin; Rickert, Eve (2014). More than two : a practical guide to ethical polyamory . Thorntree Press. ISBN 9780991399703 . OCLC 878396611 . search.worldcat.org (via Wikipedia: Polyamory)
  7. Source grade BZimmerman, Kevin J. (July 2012). "Clients in Sexually Open Relationships: Considerations for Therapists" . Journal of Feminist Family Therapy . 24 (3): 272– 289. doi : 10.1080/08952833.2012.648143 . ISSN 0895-2833 . tandfonline.com (via Wikipedia: Polyamory)
  8. Source grade C"Black and Poly Dictionary" . Black and Poly . November 13, 2017. Archived from the original on July 1, 2019 . Retrieved May 10, 2010 . blackandpoly.org (via Wikipedia: Polyamory)
  9. Source grade BAttridge, Mark (February 4, 2013). "Jealousy and Relationship Closeness" . SAGE Open . 3 (1) 2158244013476054: 215824401347605. doi : 10.1177/2158244013476054 . doi.org (via Wikipedia: Polyamory)
  10. Source grade CKlesse, C. (2011). "Notions of love in polyamory: Elements in a discourse on multiple loving" . Laboratorium . 3 (2): 4– 25. Archived from the original on March 17, 2017 . Retrieved December 27, 2016 . soclabo.org (via Wikipedia: Polyamory)
  11. Source grade CFrom PolyOz glossary: "Not in the [linguistic roots of the term] but very important is the commitment to honesty with all partners, and openly negotiated ground rules." Scm-rpg.com Archived February 27, 2009, at the Wayback Machine polyoz.scm-rpg.com.au; From sexuality.org [ link removed ] : "Two of the cultural cornerstones of the polyamory community are honesty and communication: it's expected that you and your existing long-term partner(s) will have talked over what you're comfortable with and what you aren't comfortable with, and that nobody is going around behind anyone else's back." (via Wikipedia: Polyamory)

Grades: A systematic review or official classification, B peer-reviewed study, C expert or community organisation, D practice from the community without research. How we grade sources.

Every claim was checked against its source before publication. Last checked 13 October 2026.