Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction
Order by: alphabetical | chronological ( asc | desc )
| First date | Word | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| 1952 | 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 object’s gravitational pull; the gravitational pull exerted by a large body in space |
| 1952 | grounder n. (1952) | a person who lives on a planet, rather than in space; = groundhog n. |
| 1952 | jet pack n. (1952) | a device, worn over the shoulders like a backpack, that enables the wearer to travel through the air or in space by means of jet propulsion |
| 1952 | jump v. (1952) | to journey through hyperspace n.; to engage in any (nearly) instantaneous travel over a long distance; cf. jump n. |
| 1952 | pantropy n. (1952) | James Blish’s term for: the modification of humans, esp. by genetic engineering, to make them able to survive in an alien environment |
| 1952 | planetside adv. (1952) | on or onto the surface of a planet |
| 1952 | pre-spaceflight adj. (1952) | from, or characteristic of, a time before spaceflight |
| 1952 | pseudo-grav n. (1952) | = artificial gravity n.; cf. pseudogravity n. |
| 1952 | roboticized adj. (1952) | that is or has been made robotic |
| 1952 | saucer people n. (1952) | = saucerians |
| 1952 | space v. 2 (1952) | to execute (a person) by forcing them into space without a spacesuit |
| 1952 | space biology n. (1952) | the study of biology in outer space or (broadly) in locations other than Earth |
| 1952 | speculative fiction n. 2 (1952) | = imaginative fiction |
| 1952 | Standard n. (1952) | (the name of) a language spoken on multiple worlds or by multiple species; the common language of a group or place; cf. Galactic n. 2 |
| 1952 | telempathy n. (1952) | the psionic ability to sense others’ emotions |
| 1952 | transmat n. (1952) | = matter transmitter n. |
| 1952 | warp speed n. (1952) | a faster-than-light speed, attained by a spaceship with a propulsion mechanism capable of manipulating space-time; (also, in extended use) an extraordinarily high speed |
| 1951 | beam v. (1951) | to travel through space as if along a beam of light or energy; to transport (someone or something) in this manner |
| 1951 | biotech n. (1951) | = biotechnician n. |
| 1951 | Bradburian adj. (1951) | = Bradburyish adj. |
| 1951 | cybernetically adv. (1951) | by means of cybernetic technology |
| 1951 | fanspeak n. (1951) | distinctive language used by science-fiction fans |
| 1951 | gee n. 2 (1951) | spec. a unit of acceleration equal to that due to gravity at Earth’s surface; a force arising from such acceleration; cf. earlier gravity n. |
| 1951 | genetic engineering n. (1951) | the alteration of the genome of an organism by laboratory techniques, esp. by the insertion, alteration, or removal of a gene |
| 1951 | groundside adv. (1951) | = planetside adv. |
| 1951 | hyperspeed n. (1951) | a speed faster than the speed of light |
| 1951 | legendarium n. (1951) | a body or system of myths, legends, stories, etc., concerning or relating to a particular fictional world; a work or body of work containing this |
| 1951 | manga n. (1951) | a Japanese genre of cartoons and comic books, typically drawn in a meticulously detailed style, usually featuring characters with distinctive large, staring eyes, sometimes including violent or sexually explicit material |
| 1951 | neural adj. (1951) | connected directly to the nervous system; relating to or designating an interface between an electronic device and the nervous system |
| 1951 | nonhumanoid n. (1951) | an alien with a non-human bodily form |
| 1951 | out-system adv. (1951) | in or toward the outer parts of a solar system; away from a solar system’s star; outside of a solar system; cf. in-system adv. |
| 1951 | psionic adj. (1951) | relating to or involving psychic or paranormal phenomena or powers; having psychic ability; cf. psi n., psionics n. |