Glossary of Common Terms

Glossary of Common Terms​

Animal-hearted: A more specific kind of heartedness, pertaining to animals. Identifying with a particular animal, but not as that particular animal. This differs from therianthropy.
AU: Alternate Universe. This term is generally used to describe Fictionkin and Fictives who are not quite consistent with their source or canon’s version of themselves. The differences may vary from only slight variation (such as having a different hair color) or more extreme variation (such as being the polar opposite of their fictotype in canon).
Canon: The source in which a fictional character or fictional species is from. A canon could be a movie, a book, a comic, or any other sort of media.
Character: A particular individual from a media source, such as a book or a movie.
Copinglink: An identity taken on to cope with something. Distinct from kin in that they are either taken on consciously to cope or only appear in a situation that requires coping.
DID: Dissociative Identity Disorder. This disorder was previously known as MPD, or Multiple Personality Disorder. It is a psychological disorder that manifests as a person having two or more distinct identities. Some plural systems are DID and/or trauma based, while others are not.
Factive: Someone in a plural system who identifies as a real person, such as a celebrity or politician. If the person they identify is already deceased, the factive may identify as this universe’s version of a person or an AU version of a person. If the person a factive identifies as is still alive in this universe, a factive will generally consider themselves an AU version of that person.
Factotype: The person a factive or factual identifies as.
Factual: An individual who identifies as a real person, such as a celebrity or politician. Factuals are the singlet version of factives.
Fictionflicker: A nebulous experience of shifting through identities as fictional characters and/or temporarily “becoming” a fictional character and the shift in identity and perception this may involve, with or without the experience of memories or past-life leanings if such beliefs apply to the person. This could be likened to a “temporary kintype” that comes and goes.
Fiction-hearted: A more specific kind of heartedness, pertaining to fictional characters or species. Identifying strongly with a fictional character or species but not identifying as them. This differs from being Fictionkin.
Fictionkin: An individual who identifies as a fictional character or species. Fictionkin can be Canon or AU.
Fictive: A member of a plural system who identifies as a fictional character or species. Fictives can be Canon or AU.
Fictotype: The character or species a fictive or fictionkin identifies as.
Headmate: A member of a plural system. This term tends to be used by system members when referring to another member of the same system.
Headspace: An area that that a system’s members reside in. Often headspaces are created by systems, but some systems believe that their headspace is part of another realm. Headspaces are generally created for the purpose of helping along system member communication. It is important to note, however, that not all systems have headspaces.
Hearted With: Identifying strongly with but not as something. This could be a fictional character, species, or mythical creature.
Kintype: The species someone who is otherkin identifies as.
Mediakin: See “Fictionkin”.
Median: Someone who identifies as somewhere between multiple and singlet. Generally medians describe the people in their system as not quite individuals, but rather “aspects” of themselves.
Multiple: A plural system which contains distinct individuals sharing the same body. This may be spiritual or psychological.
Multiplicity: The state of being a multiple system.
Multiverse: The hypothesis that there are an infinite or finite number of universes, some with great differences from our own, others with lesser differences. Many spiritual fictionkin believe that the reason that they are said character or species is because of the Multiverse. Some spiritual fictionkin believe that they were their fictotype in a past life, while others believe that they are currently living as this universe’s version of their fictotype.
Otakin: See “Otakukin”.
Otakukin: A fictionkin who identifies as a species or character from an anime or manga. This term has become less commonly used over the years, and is now sometimes used in a derogatory way to refer to fictionkin in general.
Other-hearted: A more specific kind of heartedness pertaining to non-humans. Identifying strongly with something non-human, but not identifying as non-human. This differs from otherkin.
Otherkin: An individual who identifies as a non-human species. Otherkin can be any type of non-human in mentality or spirituality, ranging from angels, to faeries, to dragons, to demons.
Plural: Anyone who falls under the category of “more than one” sharing a body. Plural systems can be median systems, multiple systems, and all in between. Some consider themselves to be a mix, such as someone within a multiple system who identifies as a median system.
Plurality: The state of being plural.
Polykin: An individual who has more than one kintype or fictotype. Not to be confused with plurality, in which there are multiple people sharing a body. People who are polykin may be singlet or plural.
Polymorph: An individual who shifts between fictotypes, kintypes, and/or theriotypes. Polymorphs generally have no base form or particular stable identity.
Polytherian: A therian who has more than one theriotype. Not to be confused with plurality, in which there are multiple people sharing a body. People who are polytherian may be singlet or plural.
Shift: Short for “Shapeshift”. Fictionkin, therians, and otherkin do not believe that they physically change form, but some believe that they change form on a spiritual level. Others may not shift spiritually, but still take on the mentality of a species or character during a shift. There are numerous kinds of shifts, including mental shifts (when someone takes on the mentality of a species, person, or character), phantom shifts (when phantom sensations of limbs, fur, clothes, and other features manifest), and dream shifts (when someone dreams about being their kintype, theriotype or fictotype). Sometimes fictionkin will use the term “shift” to describe when they feel more strongly one fictotype over another, if they identify as multiple characters or species, such as by saying, “I’m in an Ariel shift now”, but still acknowledging their other less momentarily prominent identities. Fictionkin, factuals, therians, otherkin, and even non-kin can experience cameo shifts (when someone takes on the mentality of, phantom sensations of, or dreams of being something that is not their fictotype, factotype, kintype, or theriotype).
Singlet: Any individual who is NOT part of a plural system. Singlets consider themselves to be alone in their body.
Soulbond: A being (usually from another dimension) who is mentally/spiritually connected to an individual in this world. A soulbond can usually communicate mentally with the soulbonder, and can sometimes “front,” or (with permission) take over the body of the soulbonder and experience this world from the eyes of the soulbonder. Soulbonds may also share energy, emotions and even memories with each other.
Soulbonder: An individual who has a strong, mental/spiritual connection with another soul (usually from another dimension).
Source: See “Canon”.
Synpath: Having a strong resonance with something but not identifying as them. Similar to Hearted With and sometimes used interchangeably.
System: A term that generally refers to plural systems, such as median systems and multiple systems. A system is a group of people (whether separate, as in multiples, or not as distinctly separate, such as medians) who share a body.
Therian: An individual who identifies as a non-human animal on an integral level. This identity may be spiritual or psychological.
Therianthropy: The state of being a therian.
Theriotype: The animal a therian identifies as.
Tulpa: A self-created consciousness, that has free will, can think, can feel, and can communicate. Tulpas are essentially intentionally created headmates.