Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction
Order by: alphabetical | chronological
| Word | Definition |
|---|---|
| posthumanism n. (1971) | the idea that humanity can be transformed, transcended, or eliminated either by technological advances or the evolutionary process; artistic, scientific, or philosophical practice which reflects this belief; cf. posthuman n. |
| posthumanist adj. (1985) | of or related to posthumanism n. |
| posthumanity n. (1985) | the society or condition of posthumans |
| power-up n. (1983) | in a video game: an item that immediately provides temporary extra abilities to a player |
| precog n. 1 (1954) | a person with precognitive abilities; cf. earlier precog v. |
| precog n. 2 (1954) | precognition; foreknowledge, esp. as a form of extrasensory perception; cf. precog n. 1 and earlier precog v. |
| precog v. (1948) | to predict the future; to predict (something) in the future |
| prespace adj. (1949) | = pre-spaceflight adj. |
| pre-spaceflight adj. (1952) | from, or characteristic of, a time before spaceflight |
| pressor n. (1931) | = pressor beam n. |
| pressor beam n. (1931) | a device that emits a beam that repels its target; (also) the beam itself; cf. tractor beam n. |
| pressor ray n. (1942) | = pressor beam n. |
| pressure suit n. (1928) | = space suit n. |
| primary world n. (1947) | the real world, as opposed to the secondary world of a work of fiction |
| prime directive n. (1947) | a chief objective, goal, or requirement; a rule or law that overrides or guides other rules or laws; (specif.) a rule forbidding interference in the affairs of less developed planets or cultures |
| probability world n. (1943) | an alternate universe, viewed as one of many such which have differing probabilities of existing |
| problem story n. (1941) | a story concerned primarily with the resolution of a (technical) problem |
| prodom n. (1941) | the world of professional writing, in contrast to fan writing or activities |
| promag n. (1937) | a professional magazine; prozine n. |
| proto-cyberpunk n. (1986) | a writer of proto-cyberpunk works |
| proto-cyberpunk adj. (1987) | of or relating to works that prefigure the themes of cyberpunk n. 1; cf. postcyberpunk adj. |
| proto-science fiction n. (1962) | literary works, written before the establishment of science fiction as a recognized genre, that prefigure the themes of science fiction, especially ones involving fantastic voyages or technological innovations |
| prozine n. (1942) | a professional magazine, as opposed to an amateur fanzine; = promag n. |
| pseudo-grav n. (1952) | = artificial gravity n.; cf. pseudogravity n. |
| pseudo-gravitation n. (1941) | = pseudogravity n. |
| pseudogravitational adj. (1942) | of or relating to pseudogravity n. |
| pseudogravity n. (1939) | = artificial gravity n. |
| pseudopod n. (1929) | a temporary functional limb extended from the body of an amorphous being |
| pseudo-science n. (1927) | = science fiction n. 2 |
| pseudo-scientific adj. (1880) | of or relating to pseudo-science; science fictional adj. |
| psi n. (1942) | (often in combinations) paranormal phenomena or faculties collectively; the psychic force supposed to be manifested by these; cf. psionic adj., psionics n. |
| psionic adj. (1951) | relating to or involving psychic or paranormal phenomena or powers; having psychic ability; cf. psi n., psionics n. |
| psionics n. (1951) | psychic powers, energy, or ability; the field of psychic phenomena; cf. psi n., psionic adj. |
| psychohistorian n. (1945) | an expert in psychohistory n. |
| psychohistory n. (1942) | Isaac Asimov’s term for: a hypothetical science using a combination of history, psychology, and statistics to make long-term predictions about large groups or populations |
| pulp science fiction n. (1939) | science fiction published in the pulp magazines of the early–mid twentieth century; any science fiction regarded as being characteristic of these magazines, esp. in being action-driven or based on clichéd ideas, plots, or characterizations |
| raise v. (1929) | to cause (a spaceship) to lift off a planet; (of a spaceship) to lift off a planet |
| ramscoop n. (1965) | a space propulsion method that uses electromagnetic fields at the front of a spaceship to gather interstellar material for fuel for a fusion-powered space drive |