Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction

Order by: alphabetical | chronological



Word Definition
light n. 2 (1961) a light year
light barrier n. 1 (1930) a force field made of beams of light
light barrier n. 2 (1950) the speed of light, as a theoretical limit of speed of any object
light-century n. (1908) the distance light travels in 100 years
light-day n. (1933) the distance light travels in 24 hours
light-hour n. (1920) the distance light travels in one hour
light-minute n. (1914) the distance light travels in one minute
light-month n. (1933) the distance light travels in one month
lightsaber n. (1975) in the fictional universe of the Star Wars franchise: a weapon resembling a sword, but having a destructive beam of light in place of a blade
light sail n. (1963) = solar sail n.
light-second n. (1908) the distance light travels in one second
lightspeed n. 1 (1856) the speed of light
light-speed n. 2 (1929) a unit of measure of speed equal to the speed of light; cf. light n. 1
light-week n. (1934) the distance light travels in one week
light-year n. (1864) the distance light travels in one year
little green man n. (1907) a intelligent humanoid inhabitant of outer space, esp. when regarded as stereotypical of hackneyed science fiction
loc n. (1960) a letter written to a magazine, esp. a fanzine
loc v. (1961) to write a loc (to)
Loonie n. (1941) a native or inhabitant of the Moon; = Lunarian n.; Lunite n.; Lunarite n.
Lovecraftian n. (1944) a devotee or follower of H.P. Lovecraft
Lovecraftian adj. (1927) of, relating to, or characteristic of the writing of H. P. Lovecraft, esp. in featuring elements of supernatural and often existential horror
low fantasy n. (1973) a subgenre of fantasy set in our primary world; fantasy in which magical or supernatural elements appear in an otherwise normal world
lox n. (1965) plural of loc
Luna n. (1876) the Moon
Luna City n. (1934) the main city on the Moon
Lunarian n. (1708) a native or inhabitant of the Moon
Lunarian adj. (1705) of or relating to the Moon
Lunarite n. (1888) a native or inhabitant of the Moon; = Lunarian n.; Lunite n.
lunarscape n. (1908) a landscape on the Moon
Lunite n. (1928) a native or inhabitant of the Moon; = Lunarian n.; Lunarite n.
mad scientist n. (1883) a scientist who is insane or eccentric, esp. so as to be dangerous or evil: a stock figure of melodramatic horror stories
mag- prefix (1943) magnetic
mainstream adj. (1953) belonging to or characteristic of the dominant or traditional literary modes, especially representational fiction
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
Marsian n. 1 (1853) a native or inhabitant of the planet Mars; = Martian n. 1