original character (OC)

[/əˈrɪdʒənəl ˈkærɪktər/ or /ˌoʊ ˈsiː/]
nounpl: original characters (OCs)
personagem original (PO)
1. A fictional character created by a fan, author, or artist rather than an established character from existing media, literature, film, or television
She drew fan art featuring her original character, a warrior princess with magical powers.
Ela desenhou arte de fã apresentando sua personagem original, uma princesa guerreira com poderes mágicos.
2. In creative writing and fan communities, a self-created character used in fan fiction, roleplaying games, or other fan works
The roleplay server allowed players to create original characters and develop their own storylines.
O servidor de roleplay permitia que os jogadores criassem personagens originais e desenvolvessem suas próprias histórias.
3. A character developed for personal creative projects, independent works, or original stories
The artist spent months designing the original character for her graphic novel.
A artista passou meses projetando a personagem original para sua novela gráfica.
OC is primarily used in digital communities, fan culture, and creative spaces. The term is especially prevalent in anime/manga fandom, fan fiction platforms (like Archive of Our Own), Discord communities, and roleplay servers. Brazilian Portuguese-speaking fans commonly use both the full term 'personagem original' and the English abbreviation 'PO' interchangeably in online spaces. In the USA, 'OC' is widely recognized internet slang across all age groups engaged in creative hobbies.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
fan characterself-created charactercustom characterinvented character
Antonyms / Antônimos
canon characterestablished charactercanonical character

Regional Variations

General Brazilian Portuguese
personagem original (PO)
Standard term used in fan communities and creative writing contexts across Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
personagem original
Common usage in local fan communities and gaming circles
São Paulo
personagem original (PO)
Widely used in tech and creative hubs; abbreviation PO is frequently used
Portugal
personagem original
Usage similar to Brazil; sometimes abbreviated as PO in online communities

Related Words

fan fictionfanartcharacter designroleplayfandomcreative writing

Related Idioms & Phrases

create an OC
develop an original character
draw/design an OC
OC universe (OCU)
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