OC
Original character
Fan fiction writers, artists, and readers use the acronym OC to refer to original, fan-created characters. These characters often star in fan-created stories that also feature official, in-canon characters. For example, a Star Wars fan whose headcanon includes a cool bounty hunter that once dated Obi-Wan Kenobi may end up writing a fan fic starring their OC and Obi-Wan.
What's the difference between OCs and fan characters?
In some creative circles (such as on DeviantArt), OC refers to truly original characters who are not tied to any existing intellectual property. In those circles, the term fan character is used to refer to fan-created characters who are tied to an existing story, game, or other work.
Example
Related Slang
| Fandom | Community of fans |
| Fanfic | Fan fiction |
| Retcon | Retroactively change |
| Shipping | Hoping for two people to get into a relationship |
| Slash | Same-sex romance fan fiction |
| Y/N | Your name |
| RPF | Real person fiction |
Categories
Of course
People typically use OC when texting or messaging online to remark about something's obviousness. For example, you might respond with, "OC!" when asked by your friend to go to the comic convention.
People might use OC as a standalone response, like a simple reply to an obvious statement. Or, you might see OC as part of a sentence, like when explaining how you like your friend but not her dimwitted bf.
If you think OC may be too confusing for people, you can use the ofc abbreviation instead. Or, you can use something more obvious, like fo sho, bet, or totes.
Example
Oh, OC!
Related Slang
| ofc | Of course |
| ICOCBW | I could, of course, be wrong |
| YCCOI | You can count on it |
| YD | Yes dear |
| yep | Yes |
| Yesh | Yes |
| Bet | You bet |
| fo sho | For sure |
| Totes | Totally |
How well do you know your Fantasy Football slang?
Redditors use OC to mean "original content." You'll most often see this acronym at the start or end of a post's title, to denote the post contains an image, chart, or write-up the OP created.
Why is OC used on Reddit?
Many Reddit posts (especially those made in popular subreddits) contain rehashed or recycled content, which other users may have seen before. The OC tag denotes that a post contains truly original content, which other users won't have seen elsewhere.