Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction

Order by: alphabetical | chronological



Word Definition
space liner n. (1931) a large and esp. luxurious spaceship for passenger travel
space lock n. (1930) = airlock n.
spaceman n. (1932) a person (usu. a man) who travels in space, an astronaut; (also) a person or being from another planet
spacemanship n. (1932) skill or experience in piloting a spacecraft
space navigation n. (1928) navigation in space; = astrogation n.
space navigator n. (1929) one who navigates a spaceship; = astrogator n.
space opera n. (1941) a subgenre of science fiction featuring adventure-driven, extravagantly dramatic plots (often including elements of romance) set in outer space; a subgenre of science fiction which uses stock characters and settings, especially those of Westerns translated into outer space; a work in this genre, regarded as being of an unsophisticated or clichΓ©d type
space-operatic adj. (1953) being or resembling space opera n.
space-pale adj. (1948) pale from being in space; cf. space-tanned adj.
space patrol n. (1930) a military or police force operating in space
space patrolman n. (1939) a man who works for a space patrol n.
space pilot n. (1932) a pilot of a spaceship
space piracy n. (1937) piracy carried out against space vessels or other worlds
space pirate n. (1930) one who preys on spaceships or other worlds
space platform n. (1945) = space station n.
spaceport n. (1930) a place where spacecraft can take off and land in order to discharge and receive passengers or cargo, refuel, or undergo maintenance; a facility for this purpose
space probe n. (1949) an unmanned spacecraft used esp. for research or reconnaissance
spacer n. 1 (1937) = spaceman n.; esp. a civilian who travels or works in space
spacer n. 2 (1939) = spaceship n.
space relay n. (1958) a relay station, as for a radio transmission, in space or on a moon
space rocket n. (1924) a rocket designed to travel beyond a planet's atmosphere
space sailor n. (1933) a person who travels in space, esp. as a profession
space science n. (1953) the study of outer space
space scientist n. (1939) an expert or specialist in a branch of science that deal with regions beyond the earth or beyond Earth’s atmosphere, including astronomy, astrophysics, and exobiology
spaceship n. (1880) a spacecraft; esp. a manned one under the control of its crew
space shuttle n. (1950) = shuttle n.
space sick adj. (1912) suffering from spacesickness n.
spacesickness n. (1912) sickness caused by the effects of space flight
space station n. (1930) a large artificial satellite used as a long-term base for operations in space
space suit n. (1929) a sealed and pressurized garment designed to protect the wearer against the conditions of space; cf. earlier suit n.
space-suited adj. (1931) wearing a space suit n.
space tan n. (1936) a tan caused by exposure to the light of stars unfiltered by planetary atmospheres; cf. space burn n.
space-tanned adj. (1932) having a space tan n.; cf. space-burned adj.
space taxi n. (1941) a small spacecraft designed for short-distance ferrying of passengers
space travel n. (1923) travel through outer space
space traveller n. (1928) a traveller in outer space
space travelling n. (1928) travelling through outer space
space-travelling adj. (1930) capable of space travel; that travels in space
space tug n. (1939) a small powerful spacecraft designed for short-distance tasks, such as maneuvering other vessels, pulling freight ships, etc.
space tunnel n. (1975) = wormhole n.