Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction
Order by: alphabetical | chronological
| Word | Definition |
|---|---|
| shapeshift v. (1970) | to change shape, by a natural capability, and adopt the form and sometimes abilities of an animal or other being |
| shapeshifter n. (1939) | one that shapeshifts |
| shapeshifting n. (1882) | the practice or act of changing shape to adopt the form of another animal or human |
| shapeshifting adj. (1895) | pertaining to shapeshifting; that shapeshifts |
| sharecrop n. (1991) | fiction set in a universe that was created by (and is sometimes under license from) another, typically more-established, author |
| sharecrop v. (1994) | to write a sharecrop n. |
| sharecropped adj. (1989) | having the quality of a sharecrop n. |
| sharecropper n. (1987) | a writer of sharecrops |
| sharecropping n. (1987) | the practice of writing sharecrops |
| sharecrop-writer n. (1997) | someone who writes sharecrops |
| shared world n. (1985) | a fictional setting in which multiple authors set their stories, esp. one created for this purpose |
| shield n. (1930) | a force field that protects something (such as a spaceship, a city, or an individual person) from potentially harmful objects or energy; cf. deflector n. |
| ship n. 1 (1898) | a spaceship |
| ship n. 2 (1996) | a romantic pairing of two characters who appear in a work of (serial) fiction, esp. one which is discussed, portrayed, or advocated by fans rather than depicted in the original work; (also) fans who support a particular pairing, considered collectively |
| ship v. (1998) | transitive to discuss, portray, or advocate a romantic pairing of (two characters who appear in a work of (serial) fiction), esp. when such a pairing is not depicted in the original work; also intransitive |
| shipmind n. (1975) | an intelligent entity (alien or computer-based) that helps control a spacecraft |
| shipper n. (1996) | a person who discusses, portrays, or advocates a romantic pairing of two characters who appear in a work of (serial) fiction, esp. when such a pairing is not depicted in the original work |
| shuttle n. (1930) | a small spacecraft used to transport passengers or cargo over a relatively short distance, as between an orbiting ship and a planetโs surface, or as a lifeboat |
| shuttlecraft n. (1953) | = shuttle n. |
| Singularity n. (1983) | usually with the: the point at which technological innovation radically transforms society, esp. the point at which artificial general intelligence outpaces human intelligence; the transition to posthumanity |
| Sirian n. 1 (1834) | a native or inhabitant of the Sirius system |
| Sirian n. 2 (1949) | the language of Sirians |
| Sirian adj. (1876) | of or relating to the Sirius system or its inhabitants |
| skiffy n. (1973) | = sci-fi adj. |
| skimmer n. (1949) | any of various small vehicles that fly relatively close to the ground, esp. by means of an anti-gravity propulsion system |
| skin job n. 1 (1958) | a skin transplant (esp. for the purpose of changing or concealing oneโs identity); cosmetic surgery performed on the skin |
| skin job n. 2 (1981) | a robot that has skin; (spec.) an android that cannot easily be distinguished from a human |
| skinsuit n. (1957) | a thin, tight-fitting spacesuit, often intended for short-term or emergency use |
| skyhook n. 1 (1888) | an imaginary device for attaching something to the sky |
| skyhook n. 2 (1939) | a hook on an aircraft or spaceship capable of lifting burdens |
| skyhook n. 3 (1951) | any of various objects that are fairly high relative to a planetโs surface, as a balloon or an orbiting space platform |
| skyhook n. 4 (1966) | = orbital tower n. |
| slan n. (1940) | a science fiction fan: used in self-reference |
| slan shack n. (1943) | a dwelling inhabited by two or more science fiction fans |
| slash n. (1984) | a subgenre of fan fiction, originally published in fanzines and now esp. online, in which characters who appear together in popular films or other media are portrayed as having a sexual (esp. homosexual) relationship |
| sleeper ship n. (1968) | a spaceship in which most or all of the passengers are in some form of suspended animation such as cold sleep in order to avoid aging during a very long voyage |
| slidewalk n. (1944) | a moving pavement |
| slideway n. (1942) | = slidewalk n. |