Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction
Order by: alphabetical | chronological
| Word | Definition |
|---|---|
| Solarian n. 1 (1834) | a native or inhabitant of Sol n. 1 |
| Solarian n. 2 (1930) | a native or inhabitant of Earth’s solar system |
| Solarian adj. (1930) | pertaining to Earth’s sun, solar system, or their inhabitants |
| solar sail n. (1958) | a surface designed to utilize the pressure of solar radiation to provide the propulsive force for a spacecraft to which it is attached |
| solar sailing n. (1959) | propelling a spacecraft via a solar sail n. |
| solar system n. (1882) | a system of one or more stars, often with accompanying planets |
| Sol III n. (1937) | the Earth |
| sol-type adj. (1943) | of the same class of star as Sol n. 1 |
| soma n. (1932) | in Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World: a narcotic drug which produces euphoria and hallucination, distributed by the state in order to control the population by promoting content and social harmony |
| somewhen adv. (1894) | in time-travel contexts: another time; in or to another time |
| sonic screwdriver n. (1968) | in the British television series Doctor Who: a (hand-held) electronic device which uses sound waves to perform various mechanical and technical functions |
| sophont n. (1966) | an intelligent being |
| space v. 1 (1947) | to travel to or in space; cf. earlier spacing n. 1 |
| space v. 2 (1952) | to execute (a person) by forcing them into space without a spacesuit |
| space alien n. (1936) | = alien n. |
| space ark n. (1948) | a large ship designed to move or rescue large numbers of people, often with large ecosystems and many animals and plants on board |
| space armor n. (1932) | = space suit n., esp. such a suit designed to protect the wearer during combat in space |
| space-armored adj. (1934) | wearing space armor n. |
| space-based adj. (1956) | based in outer space |
| space biology n. (1952) | the study of biology in outer space or (broadly) in locations other than Earth |
| spaceboat n. (1928) | = spaceship n.; (sometimes specif.) a small spacecraft |
| spaceboot n. (1932) | footwear intended for use in outer space or on other worlds |
| space-born adj. 1 (1940) | (of a person) born in space, rather than on a planet |
| space-born adj. 2 (1944) | (of something non-living) developed or created in space, rather than on a planet; originating in space |
| space-borne adj. (1924) | travelling or carried through space; also, carried out in space or by means of instruments in space |
| space-bound adj. 1 (1928) | restricted to space |
| space-bound adj. 2 (1942) | headed to space |
| space bronzed adj. (1940) | = space-tanned adj. |
| space bum n. (1938) | a spacer who wanders aimlessly; a vagrant in space; (also) a spacer who is regarded as contemptible |
| space burn n. (1937) | inflammation of the skin caused by exposure to the light of stars unfiltered by planetary atmospheres; cf. space tan n., space-burned adj. |
| space-burned adj. (1942) | having a space burn n.; cf. space-tanned adj. |
| space bus n. (1929) | a spacecraft designed to ferry people (and sometimes freight) short distances |
| space cadet n. (1941) | a trainee spaceman or spacewoman; a young astronaut |
| space capsule n. (1943) | a small spacecraft, or self-contained section of a larger one, containing the instruments or crew for a space flight |
| space car n. (1928) | = spacecraft n. |
| space colony n. (1932) | a group of beings living in a space station or on a world other than their motherworld; the structure or location of such a group |
| space conquest n. (1937) | the conquest of territory in outer space or on other planets |
| spacecraft n. (1929) | any vehicle designed to travel in space |