Multiplicity Database Systemology

System Origins


Origin Types A

Aerogenic
A system that has alters that are directly related to the environment around them (including nature) or system members that form due to weather conditions or environmental conditions (e.g. thunderstorms cause large eruptions of new alters forming from others).

Aethergenic
A system that cannot be psychologically explained, or a system that has spiritual origins. This term is nonspecific between metaphysical, religious, agnostic, etc.

Agenic
Having no origin or not wanting to find your origin.

Amegenic
A system (or sidesystem/subsystem) that, like Seelgenic, wholy or partially shares a soul with each other. However, unlike Seelegenic, this is not due to splitting one’s soul or having one’s soul split into different pieces. Certain system members (or all of a system) just happen to share a soul or soul line!

Antegenic
A system formed in a member's exomemories. Can be replaced with Antecluster, Antesystem, Antesubsystem, etc.

Araisagenic (Imagenic)
A system formed by MaDD, or by escapism. May have a headspace fused with/influenced by paracosms, and may evolve into other types of systems (Gateway, Traumagenic, Parogenic, etc) over time.


Origin Types B-C

Bombogenic
A bombo/bombogenic system is a system in which the system member count explodes rapidly, or is a system that fuses older alters (not permanently) to form newer ones, which are, in turn, fragmented again. Is a synonym of pyro system/pyrogenic.

Congenic
A term used to indicate that someone’s origins are complicated. Can be used as a standalone origin or in conjunction with other origin terms.

Cryogenic
A synonym for quoigenic, where it seemingly comes out of nowhere, or like its coming from the "cold"; a system that seems to have frozen before (dormancy) and is now "thawing" (multiple system members) or vice versa; a system that flows between the above definition consistently due to things such as trauma or neurodivergence; a system that feels like it goes dormant in certain "seasons" or periods experienced by the body; etc.

Cryptogenic
Crypto, meaning concealed or secret, or referencing cryptids i.e. unknown. An alternate to quoigenic, meaning a system that doesn't know their origin.


Origin Types D-E

Dreagenic
A system type for when your sleeping dreams affect your plurality in some way. This could be by causing system members based on dreams, dreams showing you more of your headspace, or any other effects.

Endogenic
A system not formed by trauma. This may be through Soulbonding, Thoughtforms or other means. This term is not exclusive to those without DID/OSDD-1.

Exotraumagenic
A system formed partially or wholy from exotrauma. Shorthand: Exogenic.

Extraumagenic
A system that formed partially or wholy from trauma but the members are unsure what kind of trauma. Can also be used for systems that formed from trauma but don't want to disclose what type of trauma caused your system. Shorthand: Exgenic. Synonyms: Perplexgenic, Pertraumagenic.


Origin Types F-I

Faciogenic
A system made up of thoughtforms.

Intragenic
System members formed through continuous mimickery of real or fictitious people. Can be a form of neurogenic for disorders like HPD or BPD.

Intratraumagenic
A system formed partially or wholy from intratrauma.


Origin Types J-N

Metagenic
A system that formed for spiritual reasons, with a focus on non-religious spirituality (from the term "metaphysical").

Multigenic (Polygenic, Mixed Origin)
A system whose origin is split between different origin types.

Natalgenic
A system member origin for members who were born into the system.

Neurogenic
A system caused by neurodivergence, to cope with neurodivergence, etc.

Nihilumgenic
Coming from nowhere or having no specific origin, i.e.: a system that formed from nowhere, having no origin like endogenic or traumagenic or anything like that, or a system that simply as no origin, just exist for whatever reason (nihilum coming from the Latin word 'nothing').

No Origins
For systems that elect not to identify with any other origin type, feel their origins don't need explaining, don't know enough about their origins, elect not to disclose their origins, or any other reason that a system might not want to (or maybe can't) choose any of the other origin roles but still want an origin role on their account.


Origin Types O-P

Pangenic
A system that identifies with all possible origins. (Excluding origins that they cannot identify as EG: Origins tied to disabilities or neurodivergencies the body doesn’t have, or origins tied to religion(s) that the system / members do not follow).

Paragenic
A system caused by having Maladaptive Daydreaming Disorder, or similar experiences.

Pariogenic
A system that mostly made up of walk-ins and / or soulbounds. Pario meaning 'to bear, bring forth, to produce'. Functions as a -genic label for Gateway systems.

Parogenic
A system that is (usually) intentionally created using thought-based methods. For some, this may also include some metaphysical parts, often in the form of energy work. Also referred to as Tulpamancy, however the term Parogenic is used to avoid cultural appropriation.

Physiogenic
A system formed from chronic pain/physical disability. Can also be an individual system member's origin.

Phytogenic
A system that constantly divides other system members up, and fuses them back together after a while, or constantly divides in general.

Praesigenic
A fuck-you term, basically "I don't have to tell you my system origin, that's for me to know and for you to not make your business."

Primagenic
A System shaped around an original universe the system created through writing, art, and other creative mediums. The members may be based around characters and/or concepts in this universe; and the innerworld is shaped around the original universe.

Protogenic
A system that was plural since birth. Also covers systems that have been plural "since [they] can remember."

Pyrogenic
Can be any of the following: a once small system of only a few system members and a host that had a large influx of system members enter into the headspace; a once large system of many system members that lost a large portion of the system members to dormancy or something else; a system that has many system members that fluctuate in and out of dormancy or; a system that never has a stable amount of system members at one time.


Origin Types Q-R

Quoigenic
Short for the French "je ne sais quoi" meaning "I don't know what." Originally coined as a "fuck you" term for systems who don't want to disclose their origins. It can also be a system that either doesn't know their origin, doesn't care about their origin, or who doesn't want to label their origin.


Origin Types S-T

Seelegenic (Soulgenic, Animagenic)
A system/member origin wherein part(s) or all of the system are split off soul pieces of one or a couple members. Can be categorised under Spirigenic or Metagenic (depending on the system) but is more specific.

Solumgenic
Systems and/or members who formed from loneliness.

Spirigenic
A system that formed for spiritual reasons, with a focus on/explicit inclusion of religious spirituality.

Stressgenic
Stressgenic is an origin label that is used to describe a system member that was split due to stress; this can be used in conjunction with the term "stress split" or just on its own, but unlike traumagenic which has a heavier connection to splitting due to trauma, stressgenic can be used for stressful non-traumatic situations.
Alternatively, stressgenic can also be used for those that aren't yet ready to admit a situation was traumatic while still acknowledging how taxing the situation was for the system. Like other origin labels this can be used for the system as a whole /or/ individual system members and should only be used if the system member in question is comfortable with this.

Traumagenic
A system formed by trauma.


Origin Types U-V

Unknown Origins
Just like the role suggests, this is for systems that are unsure what their origins are for any reason that they might just not know. Whether they are a newly discovered system or have known about being apart of a system for years.


Origin Types W-Z

Alt Origins

Adaptive
A system origin inclusive of systems who formed due to traumatic, neglectful, and/or other adverse environments. Adaptive systems, or adaptive plurality, is an unintentional process.

Created
Describing a system that was purposefully created. Covers most thoughtforms and parogenic systems.

Soul-Based
A soul system, or a soul-based system, is a when a system’s plurality is directly linked to its soul. Whether it be having multiple souls, having a soul that splits, or something similar.

Spontaneous
Describing a system that seemingly came from nowhere. Covers many endogenic-umbrella origins, like protogenic and some forms of neurogenic.

System Modifiers


System Modifiers A-F

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)
Dissociative Identity Disorder. A clinical diagnosis characterized by the presence of alters that have the ability to take executive control and are associated with some degree of inter-identity amnesia.

Disordered System
A system that often fits the criteria for having DID, OSDD, or UDD with dissociation and other system functions or life getting into the way of outerworld daily life. Often seeing disruptions in many areas of outerworld daily life, like social and occupational interactions but not exclusive to those or any other areas.

Dreamway System
A type of system. For neuronarrators/people with MADD/similar experiences. Similar to a Gateway system, but the worlds you can access are your daydreams/paracosms. Whether that is one or two, or two hundred, those worlds exist on some level and you (and/or system members) have access to them in some way. This can include paras and parames becoming system members.

Exosystem
A type of Gateway system wherein a couple, many, most, or all system members can travel between systems or different metaphysical planes outside of their headspace.


System Modifiers G-J

Gateway System
A system in which the innerworld is perceived as a real place somewhere, or a system with members predominantly from metaphysical origins, often coming and going as they please.

Hemisystem (Merosystem)
Part of a polymultiple polyplex; a group of members, subsystems, and sidesystems that may be connected to each other or disconnected to the other part(s) of the system in some way.


System Modifiers K-L

Layers/Layer
Separate headspaces within the headspace. Certain system members may reside within certain layers.


System Modifiers M-N

Median
A system or subsystem that’s on a spectrum between singlet and multiple; where the members aren’t entirely separate or independent of each other. There may be a central or collective identity between the members but there doesn’t have to be. Really anyone who doesn’t feel totally multiple nor totally single can identify as median.

Mixed
A system or subsystem that has both median and multiple/partionary aspects to it. It might be that some members are more median or more multiple/partitionary than others. It may also be that all members fluctuate between median and multiple/partitionary. It could also be many other things depending on the system. As each system is different, it's up to them& how they& describe their own Mixed experience(s). Anyone who feels that both median and multple/partitionary explains their identity can use Mixed to explain their experience(s).

Nested Subsystem
A subsystem that is within a subsystem.

Non-Disordered System
A system that doesn't see many, if any, disruptions to their outerworld daily life because of dissociation and other system functions or life. Normally these systems don't see much of system life getting in the way of social, occupational, etc interactions in the outerworld.


System Modifiers O-P

Otherwise Specified Dissociative Disorder (OSDD)
Otherwise Specified Dissociative Disorder. It is used for individuals who have similar symptoms to those with DID but who do not meet the full diagnostic criteria for DID. Most commonly, this describes individuals who have alters that are not sufficiently differentiated (OSDD-1A) or individuals who do not have amnesia between alters (OSDD-1B).

Partitionary (Multiple)
A system or subsystem that isn't on the median spectrum; where the members are separate and are independent of each other. There is no central or collective identity, beyond masking in front of others the system doesn't feel safe being openly plural around. Usually members of partitionary systems have more separated thoughts and feelings from each other, but they may not. Anyone who doesn't feel median or single can identify as partitionary.

Polyfaceted (Polymedian)
A (typically) large system that is primarily median.

Polyfragmented
A large system of normally 100+ that also has many fragments. These systems normally have a complex structure of subsystems and layers, but not always.

Polymultiple
A (typically) large system that is primarily multiple/partitionary.

Polyplural
An overarching term for polyfragmented, polymedian/polyfaceted and polymultiple systems; a (typically) large system, with multiple layers and/or disruption in communication.


System Modifiers Q-T

Sidesystem (Parallel System)
A sidesystem is a separate system standing metaphorically "to the side" or "next to" a main system. A sidesystem is different from a subsystem in that, instead of being a system within a system, a sidesystem is its own completely separate system alongside the existing main system. Sidesystems can have their own "dimensions" of the headspace and have their own system members.

Subsystem
A system within a system.


System Modifiers U-V

Unspecified Dissociative Disorder (UDD)
This category applies to presentations in which symptoms characteristic of a Dissociative Disorder that cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning predominate, but do not meet the full criteria for any of the other disorders in the Dissociative Disorder class.


System Modifers W-Z

Other Commonly Used Terms

Age Progressor
Not specifically a system term, but it's a term for people (or system members) who age progress or sometimes will mentally feel like and identify as an age older than their physical age. Note, this is not an excuse for a bodily minor or system member who's a minor to be allowed into adult spaces. Also known as Age Forger, Age Developer, Age Strengthener.

Age Regressor
Not specifically a system term, but it's a term for people (or system members) who age regress or sometimes will mentally feel like and identify as an age younger than their physical age.

Age Slider
A system member who changes age or identifies with different ages at different times. How much control they have over the process, the age ranges involved, and all other aspects of agesliding vary widely between and even within systems. Also known as Age Shifter.

Alter
Someone who shares a brain/body with someone else; a member of a plural system, usually used by DID/OSDD-1 systems but is not exclusive. Note that this term is a more medicalised term and used in the medical field. Therefore many systems and their members may not be comfortable with this term being used to describe them, even in a general sense.

Big
An adult in a system; often used by bodily minor systems but can by used by any systems that want to use system terms to explain which members are adults vs kids or teens. Also Known as Sysadult.

Co-conscious
The state of two or more system members being conscious at a time.

Co-front/Co-fronting
Used to refer to two or more system members being in the front at a time.

Co-Host
A secondary or backup host. Systems can have one, no, or multiple hosts.

Core (Original)
Usually used by traumagenic systems, but is not exclusive. This system member is considered by some to be the part first born to the body. Can also refer to the system member that acts as the central identity in a median system.

Cruxen
For those whose spiritual system experiences split souls. This term is for the “core” or “original” or “main” soul piece.

Disparethnic
A system member whose race, culture, and/or ethnicity is different than the body's. This term is made with the thought in mind to have a term to explain some system member's experiences but not as a way to let white-bodied systems talk over people of colour on poc issues and hardships. It also shouldn't be used to participate in closed cultures that the body isn't apart of.

Exomemories
Memories from outside of the body's memories; memories not from this lifetime. Such as but not limited to: kin memories, fictive/factive/etc memories, etc.

Exotrauma
Trauma that happened in memories not experienced in this life. Such as but not limited to: kin trauma, fictive/factive/etc trauma, etc.

Factional
A system member who is a “fictional character” in this universe, identifies as a fictional character but doesn’t consider themselves fictional, has had past lives as the “character” or person they identify as/are, identifies as a fictional character or factive of someone but doesn’t connect much to their source self, or a member who is in some other way spiritually connected to a character or person. Primarily created with those in mind who don’t like the terms “fictive,” “factive,” etc and how they often carry some connotations that they might not actually really be who they identify as, just based on them, but can be used by anyone who relates to it in someway.

Factive
A system member based on an existing person, such an ancestor or historical figure, or someone close to the system.

Faitive
A system member that has traits of both fictives and factives. Also often known as Fucktive, Fcktive, and F*cktive.

Fictive
A system member who is a person, creature, or race from a fictional source. They may be a specific character or a non-canon character of the same race or world.

Front
The body’s view of the world. When someone is in the control of the body, they are said to 'be at the front.'

Headmate
Someone who shares a brain/body with someone else; a member of a plural system. Also known as System member, Member, Sysmate.

Headspace
A place where system members reside. It can be considered a mental space or another realm altogether. Not all systems have a headspace. Some singlets also have their own astral or metaphysical headspaces without having other members or npcs living inside their body. Also known as Innerworld.

Host
A system member who inhabits the front most of the time, or is most responsible for daily life. Systems can have one, no, or multiple hosts. The host may or may not also be the core/original.

Insourced
An introject from a source the system created. Also known as an inner-ject/innerject.

Intratrauma
Trauma that happened within a person or system's headspace/innerworld.

Introject
Any member based on an outside source. Includes fictives, factives, fcktives, and other member types. Note that this term is often seen as a more medicalised term and therefore less people may be okay with it than terms like "fictive" and "factive."

Kin
Not specifically a system term, but often used by members of the community. Kin or Kintypes are characters, people, animals, objects, concepts, etc that someone heavily relates to, identifies with, identifies as, or otherwise is them or a version of them. The most common types of kin besides people who heavily relate to their kintypes or just kin for fun are those who have past lives as their kin and memories of these lives or timelines. Though, not everyone remembers their kin timelines or remembers all of their kin timelines. Other terms for kins you relate to or identify with as opposed to identify as include: Otherhearted, Synpaths, Otherlink, etc.

Kinform
A Kintype that became a system member.

Kroppens Ursprung
Sort of a synonym for “original” or “core” but wherein no headmates split from them and they just happen to be the first to control or enter the body. Primarily for spiritual systems. Synonyms: Kär, Tera, Ker.

Little
A system member under the age of 10-12. A kid within a system; what ages consitute a "little" change from system to system and may be different in different communities or groups. Also known as Syskid, Small.

Middle
A system member inbetween a little and an adult, a teenager. Also known as Systeen.

NPCs
NPCs in a system context are people seen in a system's innerworld/headspace that can't front. For some systems, these people may not be sentient and act a bit like video game NPCs in terms of how they react and interact with those around them.

Pogtive
Pogtive is a portmanteau term of the words "pogchamp" and "factive/fictive". Although it originally meant factives (introjects of real life people) of minecraft youtubers, whether past or current, the term has expanded to to minecraft-youtuber introjects who have exo-memories in-game or who were original characters in a youtuber's minecraft roleplay. Pogtives can have any role.

Prolesian/Natalorma
A Natalgenic system member who is the child of two system members from a system or is the child of two system members from two different systems. Synonyms: Eresian, Heresian, and Genusian.

Pseudomemories
Memories that didn't happen in this life that the person(s) or member(s) or system see as fake, pseudo in nature, or not as real as memories from this life. Some may use this in place of Exomemories if they don't want to put too much stake or focus into such memories. Though, like all terms on this list, don't use this term for others without their consent.

Pseudo-Original
A headmate who identifies strongly, but not to fully, with the person the system was before becoming plural (or being aware of their plurality). Pseudo-originals may have split from, meant to have been a replacement for, or mimic the original for any number of reasons.

Singlet
A non-system; a person who is the only occupant in a body.

Sparsystem
A system within a system or sidesystem that’s too big and/or too separate to be a subsystem but not separate and/or big enough to be its own sidesystem.

Switching
The act of another headmate/system member coming into front or "fronting" instead of who was fronting before them. Ex. Darian was fronting, but now Tiberius has switched in and is fronting/in front now.

System
A group of multiple consciousnesses, along with sentient and sometimes non-sentient entities recognized as members, who share a physical body. Also known as Plural, Multiple, Collective, and several other similar terms.

You&
Used as a way to acknowledge that the person or people that someone is talking to is apart of a system. Also used as a way to acknowledge that another system might have more people in front than who is talking and/or that the discussion taking place could relate to many members of another system. Otherways "&" can be used to acknowledge systems is by adding it to other pronouns such as but not limited to: It&, He&, We&, I&, Us&, She&, They&, etc. One may also see this as You(&)/you(&) in conversations when the person/people saying it don't know if the system they are referring to is comfortable being referred to as such or for when you& might not totally work but could be accurate as a "just in case" thing.