Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction
Order by: alphabetical | chronological ( asc | desc )
| First date | Word | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | planetscape n. (1940) | the surface geography of a planet |
| 1940 | robotical adj. (1940) | of or relating to robots; (also) suggestive of a robot; mechanical |
| 1940 | science fantasy n. 3 (1940) | a genre which combines elements of science fiction and fantasy; a work in this genre |
| 1940 | science-fictionish adj. (1940) | being, resembling, or reminiscent of science fiction n. 2 |
| 1940 | slan n. (1940) | a science fiction fan: used in self-reference |
| 1940 | space-born adj. 1 (1940) | (of a person) born in space, rather than on a planet |
| 1940 | space bronzed adj. (1940) | = space-tanned adj. |
| 1940 | spaceward adj. (1940) | facing or directed towards space |
| 1940 | stef n. (1940) | = stf n. |
| 1940 | thud and blunder n. (1940) | (a disparaging term for) an adventure story that features violent exploits |
| 1940 | time viewer n. (1940) | = chronoscope n. |
| 1940 | time-warping adj. (1940) | that creates a time warp; that moves (something) through time; (also) of or relating to a time warp |
| 1940 | transporter n. (1940) | a device or system for conveying people or things instantaneously from one place to another, esp. a machine which converts matter into energy, individual atoms, information, etc., and transmits it in this form to another location where it is reconstituted; = matter transmitter n. |
| 1940 | vibroblade n. (1940) | a weapon or tool having a blade that vibrates rapidly |
| 1940 | visiphone v. (1940) | to use a visiphone to call or speak to someone |
| 1940 | zero-g n. (1940) | = zero-gravity n. |
| 1939 | Aldebaranian n. 2 (1939) | the language of Aldebaranians |
| 1939 | astrogational adj. (1939) | of or relating to astrogation n. |
| 1939 | bug-eyed monster n. (1939) | a monstrous alien with bulging eyes, esp. as a clichéd subject for cover illustrations in early science fiction magazines; cf. BEM n. |
| 1939 | carbon-based adj. (1939) | based on the chemistry of carbon compounds (usually describing life as we know it on Earth, in contrast with with theoretical forms of life based on other chemical elements, as silicon) |
| 1939 | -con suffix (1939) | (used to form the names of conventions, with the first element indicating the location or (typically in informal designations) the main subject or focus of the event); cf. con n. |
| 1939 | con n. (1939) | a convention; an organized gathering of fans; cf. -con suffix |
| 1939 | darkside n. 1 (1939) | the side of an object in space (as a spaceship, or a moon or planet) that faces away from the closest star; cf. farside n., nightside n. |
| 1939 | Earth-type adj. 1 (1939) | of Earth style or manufacture |
| 1939 | ET n. (1939) | = alien n. |
| 1939 | extraterrestrial n. (1939) | an (intelligent) being that is not from Earth |
| 1939 | grandfather paradox n. (1939) | a paradox concerning the implications of time travel, expressed by the idea that a time traveller could potentially go back into the past and (deliberately or inadvertently) kill his or her grandfather, thus preventing the time traveller’s existence and the possibility of having travelled back into the past in the first place; cf. time paradox n. |
| 1939 | grav n. 1 (1939) | an anti-gravitational propulsion device; (typically as) gravs: a propulsion system using antigravity |
| 1939 | grav n. 2 (1939) | an earth-standard acceleration; gee n. 2 |
| 1939 | groundlubber n. (1939) | = groundhog n. |
| 1939 | Hamiltonian adj. (1939) | of, relating to, or characteristic of the writing of Edmond Hamilton |
| 1939 | home star n. (1939) | the star which the homeworld orbits; cf. earlier home sun n. |
| 1939 | pleasure planet n. (1939) | a planet that is pleasurable to visit, esp. one that functions chiefly as a resort; cf. paradise planet n. |