Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction
Order by: alphabetical | chronological
| Word | Definition |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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. |
| Raygun Gothic n. (1981) | a retrofuturistic aesthetic and architectural style associated with mid-20th century design |
| 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. (1958) | ironically eventually; at some point |
| 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. |
| retro-futurism n. (1988) | (the use of) a style or aesthetic considered futuristic in an earlier era, typically having both retro and futuristic elements |
| retro-futurist adj. (1981) | = retro-futuristic adj. |
| retro-futuristic adj. (1983) | having both retro and futuristic elements; of or resembling a style or aesthetic considered futuristic in an earlier era |
| 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 |