Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction
Order by: alphabetical | chronological
| Word | Definition |
|---|---|
| neural adj. (1951) | connected directly to the nervous system; relating to or designating an interface between an electronic device and the nervous system |
| neurolink n. (1990) | a technologically based communication connection between a (human) brain and a computer system; a device providing such a connection; cf. jack in v. |
| neuronic adj. (1942) | designating a weapon that causes pain (but usu. not lasting injury) by stimulating the nervous system or brain |
| neutronium n. (1927) | an extremely dense material composed entirely of free neutrons |
| newspeak n. (1949) | the artificial language used for official propaganda in the dystopia of Orwellβs novel Nineteen Eighty-Four; (hence) any form of English regarded as dishonest, corrupt, etc.; esp. ambiguous or euphemistic language as used in official pronouncements or political propaganda |
| New Wave n. (1968) | a loose movement in science fiction writing from the mid-1960s to mid-1970s, characterized by an experimental approach to narrative structures and language and an emphasis on nuanced social, moral, or psychological conflict rather than on technological concerns |
| New Weird n. (2002) | a genre that incorporates elements of fantasy, science fiction, and horror, typically in a complex urban setting |
| nightside n. (1914) | that part of an astronomical body facing away from the nearest star; cf. darkside n. 1, farside n. |
| nightside adj. (1935) | of or relating to the nightside n. |
| non-genre adj. (1975) | not science fiction, fantasy, or horror; = mainstream adj. |
| non-human n. (1927) | a non-human creature or organism, such as an animal, an alien, or a supernatural being; = unhuman n. |
| non-human adj. (1930) | = alien n. |
| nonhumanoid n. (1951) | an alien with a non-human bodily form |
| nonhumanoid adj. (1947) | not having a human or human-like bodily form |
| non-terrestrial n. (1946) | an (intelligent) being that is not from Earth; = extraterrestrial n., alien n. |
| non-terrestrial adj. (1849) | not found on or originating from Earth |
| normal space n. (1931) | esp. in reference to space travel: the type of space that exhibits the physical laws as we know them, in contrast to hyperspace n. |
| nova n. (1942) | to go nova (of a star) to become a nova; (more generally, of a star, planet, etc.) to explode (also used figuratively) |
| nova v. (1949) | to cause to become a nova; to destroy (a star, planet, etc.); (intransitive): (of a star) to become a nova; (more generally, of a star, planet, etc.) to explode |
| nova bomb n. (1953) | an extremely powerful nuclear bomb |
| novum n. (1972) | a scientific (rather than supernatural or fantastic) element in a work that demonstrates that the work takes place in a world different from our own, thus establishing that the work should be regarded as science fiction |
| nowhen adv. (1982) | (in time-travel contexts): in or at no time |
| null-g n. (1953) | (as adjective) relating to, producing, or designed for a condition of zero gravity; (as noun) zero gravity: the state or condition in which there is no apparent force of gravity acting on a body, either because the force is locally weak, or because both the body and its surroundings are freely and equally accelerating under gravity; (also) a device or system that negates the force of gravity; cf. slightly earlier null-grav n. |
| null-grav n. (1950) | = null-g n. |
| null-grav adj. (1955) | = null-g n. |
| null-gravity n. (No cites) | see null-g n. |
| ob- prefix (1993) | denoting 'obligatory or expected reference to' a topic |
| off-planet n. (1959) | an off-planet location |
| off-planet adj. (1945) | originating on another planet; located away from a (particular) planet |
| off-planet adv. (1953) | away from a particular planet; towards or on another planet; in or into space |
| off-trail adj. (1933) | (of a story, esp. one that is not easily categorized) fantastic or science-fictional |
| offworld n. (1987) | a place away from Earth, or a particular planet or world regarded as the native world; another world or planet |
| off-world adj. (1950) | of or relating to another world; originating from or located in a place outside oneβs native world or planet |
| offworld adv. (1943) | away from Earth, or any place treated within a given fictional context as the native world; on or towards another world or planet |
| offworlder n. (1957) | a person or being from another planet; an alien |
| omniverse n. (1948) | all universes collectively; cf. multiverse n. 1 |