This is a glossary of terms relevant to otherkin including links to relevant resources. Click the > arrows to the right of the screen to expand a letter.
The glossary is currently very sparse, and any assistance or contribution would be appreciated. Please reach out on the Contact page to message the site staff about helping out with the glossary or with suggestions for missed words.
A-
Angel: Properly refers to heavenly beings within Judeo-Christian-Islamic traditions. Often used in the otherkin community to refer to that type of being even when connected to a different god. See: Celestial
Aspect: The side or portion of an otherkin that is other. Often used to refer to accessing or embracing that part.
Astral: Astral refers to another layer of reality that is subtle or energetic in nature. It is often seen as the spiritual mirror to our current world. Also called the Astral Plane or Astral Reality. The energetic portion of a being is sometimes refered to as an astral body. The act of disconnecting the astral body from the physical in order to travel elsewhere is called astral projection.
Awakening: The process of becoming aware of one’s other-than-human nature. This can happen gradually over time, or suddenly and dramatically all at once.
C-
Cameo Shift: The experience of a therian shifting into an animial that isn’t their theriotype. See: Shifting, Therian, Theriotype
Celestial: A being that is seen as either the servant of a god-like being, or an expression of their will. It can be used to refer to an angelic being not from the Judeo-Christian-Islamic traditions. See: Angel
Changeling: In myth a human child that has been replaced with a fae being is called a changeling. In the otherkin community it is sometimes used to refer to people who identify as fae. See: Fae
D-
Demon: Demon is used to cover a variety of beings. Some use demon to refer to fallen celestials while others believe that demon refers to an entirely unique class of beings. What a demon is varies, but it is often connected to concepts and aesthetics that might be viewed as “dark” while others use it specifically to refer to beings of evil, seen as an inherent and universal trait. See: Celestial, Fallen
Dragon: In mytholgy, as well as the otherkin community, dragons come in a wide variety of forms. East Asian dragons are often seen as long slender wingless serpants with a more lion-like face. European dragons are often winged reptiles of varying intelligences. As such a wide umbrella of otherkin use the term dragon, even if their identities are very different.
E-
Elenari: Elenari are a broad group of elf otherkin connected by a shared history. The Elenari culture included several worlds and races.
Elf: Elf can include beings such as the elves of Norse mythology, beings similar to the Lord of the Rings elves, races such as the Tuatha Dé Danann from Irish mythology or the Sidhe. Sometimes elf is seen as a subcategory in fae, others view them as completely distinct.
Energy Body: The subtle energetic part of the body. As many otherkin identify their soul as other than human the energetic body is often seen as other than human. Many otherkin energy bodies show this otherness through shapes or sensations.
F-
Fae: A very broad category of beings. Fae refer to everything from small petite friendly nature beings, to tall and powerful spirits. Fae may refer to and/or include faeries, gnomes, sprites, as well as sidhe and elves.
Faerie: Refers to both occupants of, and the realm of Faerie. See Fae:
Fairy: See: Fae
Furry: Furries are people who have an interest in anthropomorphized animal forms, and sometimes create fursonas, a persona around them being an animal. Furries are not by definition otherkin, they are a people who appreciate and like anthropomorophized animal forms, but do not necessarily believe that is what they are. Some furries are therianthropes, but most aren’t, and most therianthropes aren’t furry. See: therianthrope
G-
Gather- An event near Cleveland, Ohio hosted by House Kheperu, formerly called House Kheperu Open House. It is a weekend convention devoted to magic and energy work, with a large focus on and acceptance of otherkin.
Glamour- A magical ability, often attributed to fae beings, that in some way obscures the individual. Glamours can refer to methods of making oneself more attractive, but also to becoming less noticeable, or any projected impression. See: Fae
Grigori- A class of angels set to watch over humanity. The Watcher Angels.
H-
Howl: A therianthrope gathering.
K-
Kin: A shortform for otherkin
KinType: The “other” side of an otherkin’s being. For instance a naga otherkin could say that their kintype (or KinType) is naga.
KinVention North: A yearly otherkin convention held in Kitchener, outside of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. KinVention North stopped in 2005.
M-
Mental Shift: When a therianthrope’s mental state shifts from that of a human to that of their theriotype.
Multiple: A person with more than one consciousness inside themselves, sometimes seen as multiple souls. While multiples are not necessarily otherkin many multiples do have a consciousness that is other than human.
Mundane: Somewhat pejorative term for a person who is not a magical practitioner and/or otherkin.
O-
Otherkin: Someone who identifies on some level as other than human.
P-
Phantom Limbs: The sensations and/or proprioception associated with a limb not physically possessed, such as wings or tails. Sensations may also be mismatched to existing appendages, for example the sense of having talons or hooves rather than feet. An article on phantom limbs can be found here.
Polymorph: Generic term for otherkin that appear to have no form or are shapeshifters.
R-
Reincarnation: The belief that there is part of the being that survives physical death and is reborn into a new body. Many otherkin see their identity as the result of reincarnation between species.
S-
Shifting: Term mostly used by the therianthope community to describe shifting between human and animal aspects. Shifting can be on different levels- mental, and energetic being two of the most common.
T-
Therian: See therianthrope.
Therianthrope: A person who experiences themselves as or believes themselves to be a non-human animal, on some level (spiritual, emotional, mental, or otherwise). Often shortened to “therian”.
Therianthropy: The belief or experience of being, in some way, a non-human animal.
Theriotype: The animal aspect of a therianthrope is referred to as their theriotype.
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Vampire: Someone with a heightened need for external energies from sources such as psychic energy or blood. Vampires are not necessarily otherkin, they are people with a different energetic need, but some otherkin are vampiric because something in their nature affects their energetic need.
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Were: A casual term for therianthrope, taken from werewolf.