Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction

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First date Word Definition
1930 scout ship n. (1930) a usu. small and fast spaceship used for reconnaissance
1930 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.
1930 shuttle n. (1930) a small spacecraft used to transport passengers or cargo over a relatively short distance, as between an orbiting ship and a planet’s surface, or as a lifeboat
1930 Solarian n. 2 (1930) a native or inhabitant of Earth’s solar system
1930 Solarian adj. (1930) pertaining to Earth’s sun, solar system, or their inhabitants
1930 space fleet n. (1930) an organized group of spaceships, esp. one under military control
1930 space flight n. (1930) a journey in or into outer space; (as a mass noun) space-travel generally
1930 space freighter n. (1930) a spaceship primarily used for transporting cargo
1930 spaceline n. (1930) a company that offers passenger space flights, esp. on a regular route; such a route itself
1930 space lock n. (1930) = airlock n.
1930 space patrol n. (1930) a military or police force operating in space
1930 space pirate n. (1930) one who preys on spaceships or other worlds
1930 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
1930 space station n. (1930) a large artificial satellite used as a long-term base for operations in space
1930 space-travelling adj. (1930) capable of space travel; that travels in space
1930 spacewalker n. (1930) a machine designed to enable a person to walk in space
1930 sub-ether n. (1930) a medium through which faster-than-light signals (or (rarely) objects) travel
1930 Tellus n. (1930) the planet Earth
1930 terrestial n. (1930) a person from Earth; a human
1930 terrestrian adj. (1930) of Earth
1930 tight-beam n. (1930) a highly focused energy beam, esp. one that conveys communications; a device or system that sends such a beam; a message sent by such a device or system
1930 transgalactic adj. (1930) across, crossing, or extending across a galaxy
1930 Vegan n. 1 (1930) a native or inhabitant of the solar system of the star Vega
1930 Vegan adj. (1930) of or pertaining to the star Vega, or the natives or inhabitants of its solar system
1930 Venerian n. 2 (1930) the language of Venerians
1930 viewscreen n. (1930) a television or similar electronic display screen for viewing images or data
1930 vision plate n. (1930) = viewscreen n.
1930 visiplate n. (1930) = viewscreen n.
1929 Capellan n. 1 (1929) a native or inhabitant of the Capella system
1929 contragravity n. (1929) = antigravity n.
1929 Earthan n. (1929) Earthian n. 1; (also) Earthian n. 2
1929 Earthward adj. (1929) facing toward Earth
1929 feelie n. (1929) a motion picture augmented by tactile effects which are felt by the viewer; chiefly in plural (frequently with the): the screening of such pictures; such pictures as a type of entertainment
1929 force beam n. (1929) = tractor beam n.; = pressor beam n.
1929 graviton n. (1929) a subatomic particle thought of as propagating the action of gravitational force