Triad, also known as a throuple, is a romantic relationship among three people — a portmanteau of "three" and "couple" — describing a three-person partnership in which all members share a romantic bond.
The concept entered popular usage in the 2010s as 📝polyamorous and 📝non-monogamousous relationships gained mainstream visibility through television and journalism. A throuple may take the form of a triad, in which all three people are romantically and sexually involved with one another, or a "vee," in which one person is involved with two partners who are not involved with each other. Throuples can be open or closed, hierarchical or egalitarian, and may involve any combination of genders and orientations.
A throuple describes a specific relationship structure rather than a relationship philosophy. It sits within the broader practice of 📝Polyamory and 🏷️#consensual-non-monogamy, naming a particular configuration — three committed partners — rather than a general approach to having multiple relationships. Some throuples cohabit, share finances, or raise children together as a single household, while others maintain separate lives while remaining romantically committed. Legal recognition remains limited, as most jurisdictions recognize only two-person marriage, though some throuples use cohabitation agreements or domestic partnerships to formalize aspects of their union.
To see a beautiful portrayal of a triad, watch 📝Professor Marston and the Wonder Women. Three of my friends have been, as of this writing, in a triad for 18 months and have shared a similar story.