Triad — a relationship between three people, where the participants are connected to each other romantically or in different configurations.
What it means
In a fully closed triad (sometimes called a “triangle”), all three are in a relationship with each other. There is also a “V” configuration, where one person is connected to two partners who are not romantically connected to each other. A triad requires especially attentive communication: it is important that all three feel heard, equal and not pushed into the background. Unlike a couple, more combinations of feelings, needs and schedules appear here that need to be coordinated. Many triads describe themselves as a single family and make household and life decisions together.
Example
Three people live together and consider themselves a single family: each of them is in a relationship with the other two, and they make important decisions jointly, trying to take everyone’s voice into account. Regular conversations help them avoid imbalances.
Related terms
Dyad, Unicorn, Polyamory
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