Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction
Order by: alphabetical | chronological
| Word | Definition |
|---|---|
| out-planet n. (1943) | = outworld n. |
| out-planet adj. (1944) | = outworld adj. |
| out-system n. (1957) | an area outside of a solar system |
| out-system adj. (1949) | of or relating to another solar system; outside of a solar system; cf. in-system adj. |
| 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. |
| outworld n. (1902) | a planet that is remote from the homeworld; a planet far from a solar system’s star |
| outworld adj. (1932) | on or from another planet, esp. one remote from the homeworld or far from a solar system’s star |
| outworlder n. (1934) | someone from an outworld n.; an alien; an outsider |
| out-worldly adj. (1934) | from an outworld n.; foreign, unusual |
| overdrive n. (1945) | = hyperdrive n. |
| overmind n. (1949) | a single, non-material consciousness composed of the consciousnesses of a large number of beings |
| Padawan n. (1973) | in the fictional universe of the Star Wars franchise: an apprentice Jedi; also (often humorously) in extended and allusive use: a youthful, naive, or untrained person |
| 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 |
| paradise planet n. (1948) | a planet regarded as peaceful or beautiful, esp. one having unspoilt natural beauty; cf. pleasure planet n. |
| parallel universe n. (1923) | a universe conceived of as existing alongside our own, having many similarities to it but usually differing from it in some significant way (as having a different history or different physical laws) |
| parallel world n. (1931) | a world that exists alongside or in addition to the known world; = parallel universe n. |
| parking orbit n. (1941) | an orbit around the earth or some other planet from which a space vehicle can be launched farther into space; also, an orbit which is stable and from which visits to the planet surface can conveniently be made |
| Peter Parker principle n. (No cites) | see Spider-Man principle n. |
| pew n. (1971) | (used to represent the sound of a weapon, esp. a beam weapon) |
| phaser n. (1966) | in the fictional universe of the Star Trek franchise: a (usu. hand-held) weapon incorporating an energy beam whose phase can be altered to create different effects (such as stunning, disintegration, etc.) on the target |
| photon torpedo n. (1968) | in the fictional universe of the Star Trek franchise: a ship-based weapon in which a destructive force is generated by a collision of matter and antimatter |
| plane n. (1927) | = dimension n. |
| planet v. (1945) | to land on or arrive at a planet; hence planeted adj. |
| planetary engineer n. (1932) | one who engages in planetary engineering n. |
| planetary engineering n. (1936) | large-scale modification of the environment or geography of a planet; = terraforming n. |
| planetary romance n. (1978) | a subgenre of science fiction that focuses on adventures taken on a planet's surface, especially in which the description of the planet is integral to the story; a work in this subgenre |
| planet-bound adj. (1944) | unable or unwilling to leave a planet |
| planet-buster n. (1950) | a bomb or other weapon capable of destroying a planet |
| planet dweller n. (1931) | a person who lives on a planet, rather than in space |
| Planet Earth n. (1858) | (without the), the earth, as distinct from the rest of the universe, esp. when considered as the planet on which humans live, or on which living organisms form an ecological system; the whole world |
| planeteer n. (1918) | someone who travels to or explores other planets |
| planetfall n. (1940) | a landing upon a planet after a journey through space |
| planet hop n. (1948) | a (short) trip made from one planet to another |
| planet-hop v. (1953) | to travel from one planet to another, esp. in short trips; cf. slightly earlier planet-hopper n. 1 |
| planet-hopper n. 1 (1936) | a person who planet-hops |
| planet-hopper n. 2 (1959) | a small spacecraft used esp. for short journeys between nearby planets, in contrast to one used for interstellar travel |