What Does OC Mean in Slang?
OC means 'Original Character' — a fictional character you created yourself. Learn what 'OC' means in slang, art, and fandom, plus its other common meanings.
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Quick answer
In slang, OC most commonly stands for 'Original Character' — a fictional character that someone created themselves, often for art, writing, or fan communities. In other contexts, OC can also mean 'original content' or 'original commenter.'
What Does OC Mean in Slang?
In slang, OC most commonly stands for “Original Character” — a fictional character that someone created themselves, rather than one borrowed from an existing show, game, comic, or book. Artists, writers, and roleplayers use “OC” constantly to refer to their own invented characters.
A second very common meaning, especially on Reddit and social media, is “Original Content.”
Where “OC” Comes From
The “Original Character” meaning grew out of fan-fiction and online art communities — places like DeviantArt, then Tumblr, Discord, and TikTok. As fans created their own characters to draw, write, and roleplay, they needed a quick way to distinguish them from canon (official) characters. “OC” became that shorthand.
The “Original Content” meaning developed separately on platforms like Reddit, where users tag self-made posts with [OC].
The Two Main Meanings
| Context | OC Means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Art / fandom | Original Character | ”Here’s my new OC” |
| Reddit / social | Original Content | ”[OC] my photo from today” |
| Comments | Original Commenter | ”Replying to the OC” |
| Anime/gaming | Original Character | ”Drew my OC as a knight” |
OC vs. Canon Character
A key distinction in fandom:
- OC (Original Character): invented by a fan or creator. Fully theirs to design — name, looks, personality, backstory.
- Canon character: an official character from an existing franchise (like a character from an anime or video game).
Fans often drop their OCs into existing worlds through fan art and fan fiction — for example, drawing their original character alongside canon heroes.
How “OC” Is Used in Communities
In art and fandom spaces, you’ll see things like:
- “This is my OC, her name is Luna.”
- “OC art commissions open!”
- “Made a ref sheet for my OC.”
On Reddit and social media, “OC” flags authorship:
- “[OC] I painted this myself.”
- “All credit to the OC.” (here meaning original commenter/poster)
Example Sentences
- “I finally finished designing my OC.”
- “Love seeing everyone’s OCs in the group.”
- “Tagging this [OC] since I took the photo.”
When you see “OC,” ask whether you’re in a creative/fandom space (then it’s Original Character) or a posting/forum context (then it’s likely Original Content).
Frequently Asked Questions
What does OC mean in art and fandom?
In art and fan communities, OC means 'Original Character' — a character a creator invented themselves rather than one from an existing show, game, or book. Artists share their OCs through drawings, stories, and roleplay.
Where did the slang OC come from?
OC as 'Original Character' originated in fan-fiction and online art communities like DeviantArt and later spread to platforms like Tumblr, TikTok, and Discord. It distinguishes a creator's own characters from canon ones.
Does OC mean original content?
Sometimes. On Reddit and social media, OC often stands for 'original content,' meaning a post the uploader made themselves. The art/fandom meaning ('original character') and the social-media meaning ('original content') are the two most common.
What is the difference between an OC and a canon character?
An OC (original character) is invented by a fan or creator, while a canon character is an official character from an existing franchise. Fans often place their OCs into existing worlds through fan art or fan fiction.
How do you use OC in a sentence?
You use it to talk about your created characters, like 'here's my new OC' or 'I drew my OC in a new outfit.' On Reddit, '[OC]' tags a post as your own original content.