Alterhuman Dictionary
sanguinarian vampire - a vampire who craves physical blood and generally doesn't or can't gain energy from feeding psychically [1] [2]. May be abbreviated as "sang vamp" [1]. See also: psychic vampire.
shift - when a therian, otherkin, or fictionkin feels more like their therio/kin/fictotype [3]. Otherkin, fictionkin, and therians may experience many kinds of non-physical shifts throughout their lives, or none at all. Experiencing shifts is not required to identify as nonhuman. More about shifting and types of shifts can be found here.
astral shift (a-shift) - for those who believe in the astral plane, a shift where one takes on the form of their kin/therio/fictotype within the astral.
aura shift (au-shift) - for those who believe in auras, a shift where one’s aura changes to reflect their kin/therio/fictotype.
berserker shift - a shift where one's kintype takes over, characterized by loss of control or an altered state of consciousness [4]. Named for Norse berserkirs, who utilized an altered mental state to fight in battle.
bilocation shift - a shift where one's spirit leaves their body and takes on a ghostly or corporeal form of one's kin/theriotype, allowing one to exist in a different location as their human body [5]. Much like physical shifting, there's no evidence this shift is physically possible [6].
cameo shift - a shift of any kind (most often referring to phantom shifts) that is not representative of one’s nonhuman identity (i.e. a cat therian experiencing phantom wings).
dream shift - a shift experienced in a dream, where one takes on the form and/or mentality of their kin/therio/fictotype.
envisage shift - a shift similar to a phantom shift, where one doesn't feel phantom limbs, but instead has a mental image of their existence [7].
flicker shift - A shift which involves multiple shifts in itself, where strong shifts happen in rapid succession, with a lasting effect. Shifts may change as quickly as if one was flipping through the pages of a book [8].
mental shift (m-shift) - a shift where one experiences what they believe to resemble the mentality and cognitive processes of their kin/therio/fictotype.
phantom shift (ph-shift) - a shift where one experiences non-corporeal body parts associated with their kin/therio/fictotype.
physical shift (p-shift) - when one physically becomes their kin/therio/fictotype. This is NOT thought to be possible and no evidence that it is possible has been presented by anyone claiming to physically shift.
sensory shift - a shift where one experiences heightened or altered senses that they feel resemble the senses of their kin/therio/fictotype.
somatic shift - a shift that physically affects one's body, either short- or long-term, including heightened or altered senses, altered body movement, body aches, seasonal urges (nesting, rut, etc.), or berserker shifts [9]. Explicitly not related to p-shifting, nor is are somatic shifts caused by gene mutations, "special" hormones, or other causes used as evidence for p-shifting.
shifter's disease - a phenomenon where some individuals researching otherkinity, fictionkinity, or therianthropy for the first time may subconsciously interpret their own human behaviors as shifts, and/or may accidentally induce shifts or fabricate memories, leading them to falsely believe they are otherkin/fictionkin/therian for a short time [10].
singlet - in reference to plurality, where one consciousness inhabits one physical body [11].
soulbond - a headmate with a fictional origin (canon or non-canon fictional characters from media, or original characters one has created) that is in some way emotionally attached to the person (soulbonder) they're bonded to [11]. Soulbonds are different from tulpas, in that they exist in some way externally from their soulbonder, who acts as a host or channeler for the soulbond [12].
species dysphoria - a type of bodily dysphoria (i.e. anxiety, distress, dissatisfaction) arising from the perception that one’s body is of the wrong species [13].
starseed - someone who believes they're from or have had a past life on another planet, universe, or dimension [14].
synpath - an entity you have a strong connection to, but don't identify as [15]. Similar to *-hearted, but only refers to the thing you identify with, as in "x is my synpath", not "I am a synpath".
system - often used in reference to the group of people/consciousnesses within a plural's body [16].