Here, I will provide definitions for the words that you will likely be seeing throughout this page, as well as words that you would likely see while researching this topic further, or looking into the community.
Please note that most, if not all, words to describe otherkin experiences are not experienced by everyone.
alterhumanity: a category of personal identity which encompasses identification that is alternative to the common societal idea of humanity.
awakening: an event in which a person discovers that they are otherkin.
canon: a term used by fictionkin. Could either refer to events in the fictional source that a person is from, or the particular universe that a person comes from. ("In my canon, I didn't die from that. My friend got me to a hospital in time.")
canonmate: those from the same universe that you were from.
doubles: someone who shares a kintype with a person, in the context of fictionkin. For some, seeing a double of one's kintype can feel threatening or disorienting, or just make them kind of uncomfortable if their kintype is very personal to them. Others don't mind doubles, and some people even like interacting with them. It depends on the person.
copinglink: an identity as, or with, a nonhuman or fictional entity in order to cope with trauma, stress, mental illness, or something else.
drop: to 'drop' a kintype is to no longer retain it as an identity.
Elf Queen's Daughters: an early Pagan circle / sisterhood who considered themselves to be elves, beginning in about 1972; largely believed to be the origin of the otherkin community as we know it today.
elven star: the most widely-used symbol in representing otherkin. A seven-pointed star that is drawn in seven straight strokes.
fictionkin: a subcategory of otherkin for when one identifies as a fictional character.
gather: an event where participants of the otherkin community arrange to meet in person.
graymuzzle: a therian who has actively participated in the therian community for many years.
howl: an event where participants of the therian community arrange to meet in person.
ID: one's strongest felt kintype. Also sometimes referred to as 'core kintypes'. Similarly, primary kintypes are the next strongest after ID, secondary is the next strongest after that, and tertiary is the weakest felt kintypes.
KFF: stands for 'kin for fun'. This is a term which references the people (typically from Twitter or from TikTok) who see otherkinity (and fictionkin in particular) as something to be done 'for fun'. These people typically mock those who take otherkin any more seriously than they do.
kin memories: images, scenarios, or senses someone who is otherkin remembers experiencing as their kintype.
kin: an abbreviation of 'otherkin.' Is also used as a suffix used with the name of a creature to indicate what type of otherkin a person is. For example, a person who is a dragon otherkin may also call themselves dragonkin.
kinfeels: the state of feeling moved in relation to ones otherkin identity. Can also be used to say that one is wondering if something is a kintype. ("I'm getting kinfeels from them. I wonder if they're a kintype of mine.")
kinnie: originally used by people against otherkin to insult otherkin. Some people feel discomforted towards attempts to reclaim it, due to some people feeling that it may have been based off of the t-slur, to which it is very similar in structure. It is now almost exclusively used by the KFF community.
kintype: the thing that someone who is otherkin identifies as.
otakukin: sometimes shortened to 'otakin', this was the original term for fictionkin. This term has largely fallen out of use.
otherhearted: having a strong connection to a species, as opposed to identifying as one. '-hearted' is used in a similar way to '-kin', as a suffix with the name of a creature to indicate what type of otherheart a person is. ("Cat-hearted", for example.)
otherkin: a personal identity which describes identification which typically encompasses being wholly or partially an animal, mythical being, or other such thing.
permashift: the state of permenantly being in a shift for a kintype.
phantom limb: body parts that a person can feel that are not physically there. Despite the name, the term is not used only to refer to limbs, but any body part. Often corresponds to a person's kintype. Also referred to as metalimbs and otherlimbs.
psychological kin: those who are kin for psychological reasons.
shifts: when a person enters the mindset of their kintype, or is focusing on a particular connection. Can also refer to shapeshifting.
source: the article of fictional media that a fictional kintype is from.
species dysphoria: the experience of dysphoria and dysmorphia involving the belief of one's body being the wrong species.
spiritual kin: those who are kin for spiritual reasons.
synpath: something that someone identifies with but not as. The proper term for those who 'kin for fun'.
therian: common abbreviation of 'therianthrope'. People who identify as animals.
theta delta: the most widely-used symbol in representing therians. The symbol consists of two Greek letters layered on top of each other: the delta and the theta characters.
were: the original term for therians, taken from 'werewolf'. This term has largely fallen out of use.