Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction

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First date Word Definition
1930 life tube n. (1930) an escape pod having a cylindrical shape; cf. lifeboat n.
1930 light barrier n. 1 (1930) a force field made of beams of light
1930 moon ship n. (1930) a spacecraft for travelling to the Moon
1930 mother ship n. (1930) a spacecraft escorting or having charge of a number of other, usually smaller, craft; one from which other craft are launched or controlled
1930 needle-beam n. (1930) a weapon producing a very narrow beam of energy; the beam produced by such a weapon
1930 Neptunian n. 2 (1930) the language of Neptunians
1930 non-human adj. (1930) = alien n.
1930 ray v. (1930) to fire a ray at
1930 scout ship n. (1930) a usu. small and fast spaceship used for reconnaissance
1930 shield n. (1930) a force field that protects something (such as a spaceship, a city, or an individual person) from potentially harmful objects or energy; cf. deflector n.
1930 shuttle n. (1930) a small spacecraft used to transport passengers or cargo over a relatively short distance, as between an orbiting ship and a planet’s surface, or as a lifeboat
1930 Solarian n. 2 (1930) a native or inhabitant of Earth’s solar system
1930 Solarian adj. (1930) pertaining to Earth’s sun, solar system, or their inhabitants
1930 space fleet n. (1930) an organized group of spaceships, esp. one under military control
1930 space flight n. (1930) a journey in or into outer space; (as a mass noun) space-travel generally
1930 space freighter n. (1930) a spaceship primarily used for transporting cargo
1930 spaceline n. (1930) a company that offers passenger space flights, esp. on a regular route; such a route itself
1930 space lock n. (1930) = airlock n.
1930 space patrol n. (1930) a military or police force operating in space
1930 space pirate n. (1930) one who preys on spaceships or other worlds
1930 spaceport n. (1930) a place where spacecraft can take off and land in order to discharge and receive passengers or cargo, refuel, or undergo maintenance; a facility for this purpose
1930 space station n. (1930) a large artificial satellite used as a long-term base for operations in space
1930 space-travelling adj. (1930) capable of space travel; that travels in space
1930 spacewalker n. (1930) a machine designed to enable a person to walk in space
1930 sub-ether n. (1930) a medium through which faster-than-light signals (or (rarely) objects) travel
1930 Tellus n. (1930) the planet Earth
1930 terrestial n. (1930) a person from Earth; a human
1930 terrestrian adj. (1930) of Earth
1930 tight-beam n. (1930) a highly focused energy beam, esp. one that conveys communications; a device or system that sends such a beam; a message sent by such a device or system
1930 transgalactic adj. (1930) across, crossing, or extending across a galaxy
1930 Vegan n. 1 (1930) a native or inhabitant of the solar system of the star Vega
1930 Vegan adj. (1930) of or pertaining to the star Vega, or the natives or inhabitants of its solar system
1930 Venerian n. 2 (1930) the language of Venerians