General Definitions & Terminology
Animal-Hearted - Animal-hearted is when an individual strongly identifies with a species of creature. It's more than a fascination or like of the creature, like in the furry fandom, but not quite to the point of being something you identify as, like with a therian or otherkin. The animal you identify with will replace the animal part of the phrase. So say, for example, you identify strongly with dragons, you would be dragon-hearted.
Awakening - The process of realizing and accepting that you are a therian or otherkin. Some know exactly when, others say that their "awakening" was when they found there is a term and community for how they have always felt.
Transspecies & Non-human - Terms used to describe all of the various communities as a whole collective (Otherkin, Therian, and everything else) who believe that they are not totally human on some intrinsic level.
Otherkin - A community of people who (non-physically) identify as, in part or in whole, one or more non-human beings. Typically they identify as creatures from mythology or folklore, with the occassional person identifying as an extra-terrestrial, or inorganic being.
Shifting - A general term for experiencing any kind of shift, be it phantom, mental, astral, or otherwise. Definitions for these found on the "Shifting" page.
Therianthrope/Were - A person who believes that they are, in part or in whole (non-physically) one or more non-human, earthly (existing- either living or extinct) animals, on a deep personal/integral level. Some communities use the word "therianthrope/therian" to describe someone who has a more animalistic experience despite not identifying as an earthly animal, but rather, a nonexisting creature or animal. This is due to some thinking a distinction should be made between those who have a more animal-like experience and those who have a more "human"-like experience, instead of a distinction made between those who identify as "real" animals, and those who identify as "not real" animals and creatures. This is explained more in-depth in the essays section.
Fictionkin - Someone who identifies as a species from a fictional work/world, such as from tv, film, books, or other media. This isn't to be confused with those who identify as specific characters, people, or gods- something of which is highly debated in the community due to ethics. More on this is covered in the "essays" section.
Theriotype/Kintype - The creature or animal a therian or otherkin identifies as.
Awakening - The process of realizing and accepting that you are a therian or otherkin. Some know exactly when, others say that their "awakening" was when they found there is a term and community for how they have always felt.
Transspecies & Non-human - Terms used to describe all of the various communities as a whole collective (Otherkin, Therian, and everything else) who believe that they are not totally human on some intrinsic level.
Otherkin - A community of people who (non-physically) identify as, in part or in whole, one or more non-human beings. Typically they identify as creatures from mythology or folklore, with the occassional person identifying as an extra-terrestrial, or inorganic being.
Shifting - A general term for experiencing any kind of shift, be it phantom, mental, astral, or otherwise. Definitions for these found on the "Shifting" page.
Therianthrope/Were - A person who believes that they are, in part or in whole (non-physically) one or more non-human, earthly (existing- either living or extinct) animals, on a deep personal/integral level. Some communities use the word "therianthrope/therian" to describe someone who has a more animalistic experience despite not identifying as an earthly animal, but rather, a nonexisting creature or animal. This is due to some thinking a distinction should be made between those who have a more animal-like experience and those who have a more "human"-like experience, instead of a distinction made between those who identify as "real" animals, and those who identify as "not real" animals and creatures. This is explained more in-depth in the essays section.
Fictionkin - Someone who identifies as a species from a fictional work/world, such as from tv, film, books, or other media. This isn't to be confused with those who identify as specific characters, people, or gods- something of which is highly debated in the community due to ethics. More on this is covered in the "essays" section.
Theriotype/Kintype - The creature or animal a therian or otherkin identifies as.
Types of Therianthropes & 'Kin
Cladotherianthropy - The state of one's theriotype encompassing a family of animals instead of a specific species or animal. For example, a therian identifying as canis because they feel they are all the species in that family, instead of any specific one.
Contherianthropy - A type of therianthropy in which the therian does not experience shifting, but instead is constantly in a state of half human and half animal. Later, a new term was made- sun/syn therianthropy/otherkinity, otherwise accepted as being vacillant, as the definition for contherianthropy is often regarded as too specific and a new term was needed to describe what many others felt.
Polywere/Polytherian/Polykin - A therian who has more than one theriotype.
Polyform - A shifter, in the "literal" (not just experiencing shifts as mentioned on the page for it, but experiencing shifts in a kintype's form) sense. Someone who has multiple forms of a kintype, such as a werewolf otherkin might, or some other creature from lore, fiction, myth or otherwise which shifts in form.
Shifter Therian/Otherkin - This is the "typical" kind of therian and otherkin. Someone who identifies as an animal, but experiences a wide range of shifting. When people talk about "normal therians/otherkin" this is what they're referring to.
Vacillant (sun/syn-) Therianthropy/Otherkinity - Similar to contherianthropy, only instead of being constantly half shifted, the base instincts and behaviours of the theriotype are ingrained into the individual's personality, and small amounts of shifting are experienced.
Source: http://feralnature.forumotion.com/t83-therian-otherkin-terminlology
Edited
Contherianthropy - A type of therianthropy in which the therian does not experience shifting, but instead is constantly in a state of half human and half animal. Later, a new term was made- sun/syn therianthropy/otherkinity, otherwise accepted as being vacillant, as the definition for contherianthropy is often regarded as too specific and a new term was needed to describe what many others felt.
Polywere/Polytherian/Polykin - A therian who has more than one theriotype.
Polyform - A shifter, in the "literal" (not just experiencing shifts as mentioned on the page for it, but experiencing shifts in a kintype's form) sense. Someone who has multiple forms of a kintype, such as a werewolf otherkin might, or some other creature from lore, fiction, myth or otherwise which shifts in form.
Shifter Therian/Otherkin - This is the "typical" kind of therian and otherkin. Someone who identifies as an animal, but experiences a wide range of shifting. When people talk about "normal therians/otherkin" this is what they're referring to.
Vacillant (sun/syn-) Therianthropy/Otherkinity - Similar to contherianthropy, only instead of being constantly half shifted, the base instincts and behaviours of the theriotype are ingrained into the individual's personality, and small amounts of shifting are experienced.
Source: http://feralnature.forumotion.com/t83-therian-otherkin-terminlology
Edited