Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction
Order by: alphabetical | chronological
| Word | Definition |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| ray n. (1897) | a beam of (destructive) energy, emitted by a ray gun or similar device |
| ray v. (1930) | to fire a ray at |
| ray gun n. (1917) | a (typically) hand-held device that emits rays, esp. destructive or harmful ones; cf. slightly earlier ray projector n. |
| ray pistol n. (1929) | a handheld ray gun n. |
| ray projector n. (1916) | a large ray gun n. |
| ray-proof adj. (1905) | impervious to energy rays, esp. ray weapons |
| reaction drive n. (1942) | a propulsion system for a slower-than-light spacecraft that generates thrust by ejecting matter in a direction opposite that of travel |
| RealSoonNow adv. (1959) | in the near future; quickly; very soon |
| realspace n. (1973) | the ordinary universe; space that exists outside of hyperspace, wormholes, or other notional regions used for faster-than-light travel; cf. otherspace n. |
| red pill n. (1998) | a drug that reveals esp. unpleasant truths of the real world; cf. blue pill n. |
| redshirt n. (1985) | a character who is not portrayed in depth; (esp.) a character whose main plot function is to be killed |
| regeneration n. (1978) | in the British television series Doctor Who: the process by which a Time Lord transforms themself into a new physical form, esp. after an experience that would otherwise be fatal; (also) a particular manifestation of a Time Lord |
| regeneration tank n. (1950) | a tank, typically filled with a nutrient bath, in which a person can recover from severe injury, such as the loss of a limb |
| relaxacon n. (1956) | a science fiction convention with few or no fixed program events or organized activities |
| relaxicon n. (No cites) | see relaxacon n. |
| replicant n. 1 (1980) | an artificial being in the form of a human or other creature; an android |
| replicant n. 2 (1987) | a person who acts or behaves like a replicant n. 1, esp. in imitating or resembling others; a conformist person; a clone |
| retcon n. (1989) | in a fictional work or series: a piece of new (and typically revelatory) information which imposes a different interpretation on previously described events, often employed to facilitate a dramatic plot shift or account for an inconsistency; (also) use of this as a narrative device |
| retcon v. (1989) | to revise retrospectively (an aspect of a fictional work or series), typically by means of a revelation which imposes a different interpretation on previously described events; cf. retcon n. |
| Rhean n. (1939) | a native or inhabitant of the Saturnian moon Rhea; (also) the language of Rheans |
| Rhean adj. (1937) | of or relating to the Saturnian moon Rhea |
| Rigellian n. 1 (1937) | a native or inhabitant of the Rigel system |
| Rigellian n. 2 (1950) | the language of Rigellians |
| Rigellian adj. (1937) | of, relating to, or characteristic of the Rigel system or its inhabitants |
| rimworld n. (1955) | a planet orbiting a star near the edge of a galaxy, typically regarded as being isolated from mainstream galactic culture |
| ringwall n. (1942) | a roughly circular ring of cliffs or mountains surrounding an area such as an impact crater or a lunar mare |
| robo- prefix (1945) | (used to form nouns with the sense ‘a robotic or automatic ——’) |
| robocop n. (1957) | a robotic or bionic law enforcement officer |