Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction

Order by: alphabetical | chronological



Word Definition
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
robot n. (1920) a (semi-)intelligent artificial being typically made of metal and resembling in some way a human or other animal
robotic n. (1950) a robot; a robotic device
robotic adj. (1927) of the nature of a robot; of or relating to robots; (also) that is a robot; automated
robotical adj. (1940) of or relating to robots; (also) suggestive of a robot; mechanical
robotically adv. 1 (1924) in the manner of a robot; mechanically; without emotion
robotically adv. 2 (1953) by means of a robot or robotics
roboticist n. (1942) a scientist or engineer who studies or works with robots
roboticized adj. (1952) that is or has been made robotic
robotics n. (1941) the technology or science of the design, construction, operation, and use of robots and similar automatic devices
robotrix n. (1933) a robot assigned a female identity; a robot having female or feminine characteristics
rocketeer n. (1928) a person who experiments with, pilots, or travels in a rocket
rocketman n. (1931) = rocketeer n.
rocketport n. (1931) a place where rockets can take off and land; cf. spaceport n.
rocket-ship n. (1925) a spacecraft powered by rockets
romantasy n. (2008) a subgenre that combines elements of romance and fantasy, esp. in featuring sexual relationships between humans and supernatural creatures
Romulan n. (1966) in the fictional universe of the Star Trek franchise: a member of a humanoid alien race
RSN adv. (1959) = RealSoonNow adv.
sailship n. (1964) a spacecraft using a solar sail as its chief method of propulsion
sapience n. (1962) (of non-humans) intelligence
sapient n. (1958) an intelligent alien