  Multiferroics (MFs) are materials with two or more ferroic orders, like
spontaneous ferroelectric and ferromagnetic polarizations. Such materials can
exhibit a magnetoelectric effect whereby magnetic and ferroelectric
polarizations couple linearly, reminiscent of, but not identical to the
electromagnetic $\boldsymbol{E}\cdot \boldsymbol{B}$ axion coupling. Here we
point out a possible mechanism in which an external dark matter axion field
couples linearly to ferroic orders in these materials without external applied
fields. We find the magnetic response to be linear in the axion-electron
coupling. At temperatures close to the ferromagnetic transition fluctuations
can lead to an enhancement of the axion-induced magnetic response. Relevant
material candidates such as the Lu-Sc hexaferrite family are discussed.
