What Does Multi (AO3 Category) Mean?
AO3 PlatformAn AO3 relationship category for works featuring multiple relationship types or a relationship involving more than two people. It covers everything from love triangles to polyamorous ships.
Multi (AO3 Category) in Practice
Multi is the archive's catch-all for works that don't fit a single pairing category: a fic giving equal weight to an F/M and an M/M couple, an OT3, or a story where a character has multiple love interests across the narrative. Because it spans such different situations, readers usually rely on the actual relationship tags to learn what 'Multi' means for a specific work. Polyamorous ships in particular live here, and the category's growth over the years tracks fandom's increasing appetite for poly dynamics. Authors sometimes debate whether to use Multi or just check multiple categories — AO3 allows both approaches.
Example usage
"It's categorized Multi because the OT3 doesn't fully assemble until the final act, and the journey there is half the fun."
Related Terms
OT3 (and OT4, OTn)
A favorite pairing of three characters — 'one true threesome,' riffing on OTP. Larger configurations extend the pattern: OT4, OT5, and beyond.
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Polyship
A ship involving three or more characters in a consensual multi-partner relationship. Polyships range from triads to entire-team configurations.
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M/M
One of AO3's relationship categories, indicating a work centers on a romantic or sexual relationship between two male characters. It appears as a colored square icon on every work listing.
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Pairing
The romantic or sexual relationship a fic centers on, named by its two (or more) characters. 'Pairing' is the slightly more formal sibling of 'ship.'
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