OC
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Initialism of original character.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
One point that almost always seems to be overlooked every time the Mary Sue issue comes up is that #*not* all original characters are Mary Sues. Although there are those who think OCs should be kept out of fanfic, it is possible and acceptable to write OCs into your stories without deifying them.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “OC” mean?
Initialism of original character.
Is “OC” formal or informal?
OC is generally slang.