Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction
Order by: alphabetical | chronological ( asc | desc )
First date | Word | Definition |
---|---|---|
1964 | armorplast n. (1964) | a strong protective material likened to plastic (as being light, flexible, or transparent) |
1964 | Ballardian adj. (1964) | of, relating to, or characteristic of the writing of J. G. Ballard, esp. in featuring desolate, dystopian settings and a pessimistic view of the effects of modern technological society |
1964 | class M planet n. (1964) | an Earth-type planet |
1964 | conapt n. (1964) | an apartment in a condominium |
1964 | core n. (1964) | the center of a galaxy |
1964 | graser n. (1964) | a device that produces a beam of gamma radiation, usually as an energy weapon n. |
1964 | hoverboard n. (1964) | a board, resembling a skateboard without wheels, which hovers above the ground using antigravity technology and may be ridden like a skateboard; cf. earlier hovercar n. |
1964 | jump point n. (1964) | a location where interstellar jumps are possible |
1964 | sailship n. (1964) | a spacecraft using a solar sail as its chief method of propulsion |
1964 | widescreen baroque n. (1964) | Brian Aldiss’s term for: a subgenre of science fiction characterized by larger-than-life characters, violence, intrigue, extravagant settings or actions, and fast-paced plotting; a form of space opera n. |
1963 | companion n. (1963) | in the British television series Doctor Who: any of the usually human characters who (regularly) travel with the Doctor |
1963 | dalek n. (1963) | in the British television series Doctor Who: a member of a race of aggressive alien mutants in mobile armoured casings |
1963 | laser gun n. (1963) | a weapon that fires a laser |
1963 | laser pistol n. (1963) | a hand weapon of similar size to a pistol that fires a laser |
1963 | laser rifle n. (1963) | a long shoulder weapon that fires a laser |
1963 | light sail n. (1963) | = solar sail n. |
1963 | multiversal adj. (1963) | of or pertaining to a multiverse n. 1 |
1963 | multiverse n. 1 (1963) | a space or realm of being consisting of a number of universes, of which our own universe is only one; cf. parallel universe n. |
1963 | mundane n. 2 (1963) | a person who is not a science-fiction fan; an outsider |
1963 | space-fictional n. (1963) | resembling or characteristic of space fiction n. |
1963 | spider sense n. (1963) | in the fictional world of the comic book hero Spider-Man: the precognitive ability to anticipate (and react to) dangerous situations beyond the normal range of human senses; (hence, in figurative or allusive use) a premonition; intuition; insight |
1963 | spidey sense n. (1963) | = spider sense n. |
1963 | TARDIS n. 1 (1963) | in the British television series Doctor Who: a time machine having the outward form of a police telephone box; (hence) any means of travelling through time |
1963 | wetware n. (1963) | biological structures or systems regarded as analogous to computer equipment; (specif.) the human brain; the mind, esp. when able to be affected or altered by computer processes |
1962 | Clarke’s Law n. (1962) | any of three maxims formulated by Arthur C. Clarke (sometimes specified as Clarke’s First Law, Clarke’s Second Law, Clarke’s Third Law): (a) ‘When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong’ (b) ‘The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.’ (c) ‘Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic’ |
1962 | croggled adj. (1962) | astonished, baffled, bewildered |
1962 | datapad n. (1962) | a thin handheld electronic device for viewing and manipulating information; a tablet computer |
1962 | dystopianism n. (1962) | dystopian quality or characteristics |
1962 | laser cannon n. (1962) | a large weapon, similar in size to a cannon, that fires a laser |