Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction
Order by: alphabetical | chronological
| Word | Definition |
|---|---|
| hyperdrive n. (1946) | a spaceship drive that enables travel faster than the speed of light; (also) the state of such travel; cf. hyperspace n. |
| hyperspace n. (1928) | a dimension or other theoretical region that coexists with our own but typically has different physical laws, esp. such a region that allows travel through it such that the total journey occurs at faster-than-light speeds; cf. hyperdrive n. |
| hyperspatial adj. (1934) | in or relating to hyperspace n. |
| hyperspeed n. (1951) | a speed faster than the speed of light |
| hypospray n. (1947) | an injection device that forces a fine, high-pressure jet of fluid through the skin without breaking it |
| illo n. (1945) | an illustration |
| imaginative adj. (1914) | denoting a genre of literature, etc. that is not realistic or mimetic; science fiction, fantasy, and horror collectively |
| impeller n. (1936) | a device used to produce propulsive thrust |
| impervium n. (1932) | a virtually impenetrable or indestructible substance |
| impossible story n. (1913) | esp. in the early pulp era: a work of imaginative fiction; a different story n. |
| inertial dampener n. (1998) | = inertial damper n. |
| inertial damper n. (1992) | a device or system that partially negates the effects of inertia, used especially to protect those on board a spaceship from the effects of rapid changes in acceleration |
| infodump n. (1978) | a large (often unwieldy or indigestible) amount of information supplied all at once; spec. as background or descriptive information in a narrative |
| infodumping n. (1995) | the practice of using infodump n. in literature |
| inhuman n. (1926) | a nonhuman being; cf. alien n. |
| inhuman adj. (1930) | not human; alien |
| inner space n. (1920) | the human mind; the innermost parts of oneβs psyche |
| insectoid n. (1937) | an insect-like alien |
| insectoid adj. (1950) | (esp. of an alien) insect-like |
| insectoidal adj. (1956) | = insectoid adj. |
| in-system adj. (1968) | of or relating to the area within a solar system; operating only within a solar system; cf. intersystem adj., out-system adj. |
| in-system adv. (1961) | in or into a solar system; toward the center of a solar system; cf. out-system adv. |
| intergalactic adj. (1888) | situated between galaxies; of, pertaining to, or occupying the regions between galaxies |
| intergalactically adv. (1959) | between or among galaxies; (broadly) (used as an intensive), extremely, incredibly |
| interplanetary n. (1927) | a story about interplanetary travel |
| intersystem adj. (1941) | (esp. of transportation or communication) occurring between solar systems |
| interworld adj. (1937) | between or occurring between planets |
| ion drive n. (1947) | a spacecraft propulsion system that uses electrically accelerated ions |
| ion gun n. (1935) | an energy weapon that emits ions |
| ish n. (1937) | an issue or edition in a series; spec. an issue of a magazine, esp. (in early use) a fanzine |