Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction
Order by: alphabetical | chronological
| Word | Definition |
|---|---|
| genre science fiction n. (1971) | stories, novels, etc. that are explicity written or published as science fiction, as opposed to ones which contain science fictional elements but are written or published as mainstream fiction, or in another genre |
| Gernsbackian adj. (1943) | of, relating to, or characteristic of Hugo Gernsback, and esp. of the writing that appeared in the magazines he edited, esp. in featuring extensive discussions of scientific or technological issues |
| glassite n. (1930) | a strong transparent synthetic material; an artificial substitute for glass |
| glitch n. (1998) | in phrase a glitch in the matrix: in the 1999 film The Matrix: an anomaly in the virtual representation of reality in which much of the film takes place, indicating a change or error in the underlying computer simulation; (hence, broadly) a mistake, an error, a problem |
| golden age n. (1948) | a period in the past regarded as the time when science fiction was at its best |
| gram v. (1940) | = spacegram v. |
| grandfather paradox n. (1939) | a paradox concerning the implications of time travel, expressed by the idea that a time traveller could potentially go back into the past and (deliberately or inadvertently) kill his or her grandfather, thus preventing the time travellerโs existence and the possibility of having travelled back into the past in the first place; cf. time paradox n. |
| graser n. (1964) | a device that produces a beam of gamma radiation, usually as an energy weapon n. |
| grav n. 1 (1939) | an anti-gravitational propulsion device; (typically as) gravs: a propulsion system using antigravity |
| grav n. 2 (1939) | an earth-standard acceleration; gee n. 2 |
| gravitic adj. (1935) | of, caused by, or powered by gravity |
| gravitically adv. (1958) | by means of gravity; with regard to gravity; cf. gravitic adj. |
| gravitics n. 1 (1944) | the science of studying or controlling gravity |
| gravitics n. 2 (1982) | any of various devices making use of gravity or gravitational waves, as (a) sensors that use gravitational waves to detect objects in space; (b) a system that creates artificial gravity |
| gravitied adj. 1 (1940) | having gravity (of a specified strength or type) |
| gravitied adj. 2 (1979) | having artificial gravity |
| graviton n. (1929) | a subatomic particle thought of as propagating the action of gravitational force |
| gravitonic adj. (1929) | of or relating to gravitons |
| gravity n. (1930) | = gee n. 2 |
| gravity drive n. (1932) | a spaceship drive that uses any technology associated with gravity |
| gravity plate n. (1930) | a device that creates or nullifies the effects of gravity |
| gravity screen n. (1926) | a device that creates or prevents the effects of gravity; the effect of such a device |
| gravity well n. (1952) | the area of space near a large mass (such as a planet or star) in which significant energy must be expended in order to counteract the objectโs gravitational pull; the gravitational pull exerted by a large body in space |
| grimdark n. (2008) | a subgenre of (esp. fantasy) fiction characterized by a nihilistic, violent, and dystopian atmosphere or setting |
| gripping hand n. (1986) | on the gripping hand: used to introduce a third point of view, fact, case, etc., that contrasts with two previous statements |
| grok v. (1961) | to perceive or understand fully; to feel empathy with; to enjoy, appreciate |
| groundcar n. (1930) | a car incapable of flight (in contrast with an aircar n.) |
| grounder n. (1952) | a person who lives on a planet, rather than in space; = groundhog n. |
| groundhog n. (1940) | a person who lives on a planet, rather than in space; a person who does not regularly travel in space |
| groundlubber n. (1939) | = groundhog n. |
| groundside adv. (1951) | = planetside adv. |
| group mind n. (1930) | a collective intelligence composed of individual intelligences combined into a larger whole, esp. where the resulting consciousness exerts control over its constituent members; hive mind n. |
| gynoid n. (1979) | a robot having female or feminine characteristics; = robotrix n. |
| gyrobus n. (1933) | a bus powered by a gyroscopic flywheel; (also) a flying bus |
| gyrocab n. (1942) | a flying taxi |
| Hamiltonian adj. (1939) | of, relating to, or characteristic of the writing of Edmond Hamilton |
| hard science fiction n. (1957) | science fiction that does not violate known scientific laws; science fiction based or focused on the hard sciences |