Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction
Order by: alphabetical | chronological
Word | Definition |
---|---|
transmat n. (1952) | = matter transmitter n. |
transporter n. (1940) | a device for conveying people or things instantaneously from one place to another, esp. a machine which converts matter into energy, individual atoms, information, etc., and transmits it in this form to another location where it is reconstituted; = matter transmitter n. |
treedy n. (No cites) | see tri-D n. |
trekker n. (1967) | an admirer of the U.S. television programme Star Trek |
trekkie n. (1968) | an admirer of the U.S. television programme Star Trek |
tribble n. (1967) | in the fictional universe of the Star Trek franchise: a species of small, furry, featureless alien |
tricorder n. (1966) | in the fictional universe of the Star Trek franchise: a medium-sized hand-held device used for data sensing, analysis, and recording |
tri-D n. (1950) | a device or system capable of transmitting or displaying a three dimensional image or video; (also) a three-dimensional image or video; cf. slightly earlier three-D n. |
tridee n. (No cites) | see tri-D n. |
trideo n. (1953) | a device or system capable of transmitting or displaying a (moving) three dimensional image; a (moving) image displayed by such a device |
tri-di n. (No cites) | see tri-D n. |
tri-dim n. (1942) | a device or system capable of transmitting or displaying a three dimensional image; (also) a three-dimensional image or video; = tri-D n. |
triffid n. (1951) | in John Wyndhamโs novel The Day of the Triffids: one of a race of malevolent alien plants which threaten to overrun the world |
triffidian adj. (No cites) | like, or in the manner of a triffid |
triffid-like adj. (No cites) | like, or in the manner of a triffid |
tri-v n. (1954) | a device or system capable of recording, transmitting, or displaying a (moving) three dimensional image; such a system as a form of entertainment |
trivee n. (No cites) | see tri-v n. |
tri-vid n. (1955) | a device or system capable of transmitting or displaying a three-dimensional image |
trufan n. (1954) | a science fiction fan who adheres to the ideals and practices of fandom |
trufandom n. (1954) | the state of being a trufan; excellence in fannish behavior |
uchronia n. (1938) | = alternate history n. |
uchronian adj. (1974) | of or relating to uchronias |
uchronic adj. (1938) | of or relating to uchronias |
UFO n. (1953) | an unidentified flying object; a โflying saucerโ |
ultradrive n. (1949) | a type of faster-than-light star drive |
ultraphone n. (1928) | a communications device that transmits messages faster than the speed of light |
ultrawave n. (1934) | a communication system that transmits messages faster than the speed of light; (also) a wave phenomenon used by such devices |
unfannish adj. (1943) | (of a person) failing to be fannish; not having the attributes of a dedicated or obsessive fan; (also, of writing, organizations, etc.) not interesting to or characteristic of dedicated fans |
unhuman n. (1944) | an intelligent nonhuman entity; alien n.; cf. non-human n. |
universal translator n. (1949) | a device, computer system, etc. that (instantaneously) translates among languages |
universe n. (1947) | the setting of a work or series of fiction, esp. of imaginative fiction |
unobtainium n. (1956) | a hypothetical substance that would be highly desirable but is unrealized or unobtainable; a notional substance with exceptional or ideal properties |
unperson n. (1949) | a person who, usually for political reasons, is deemed not to have existed and whose name is removed from all public records; hence, more generally: a person whose contributions or achievements are officially denied or disregarded; a person regarded as less than human |
unsuit v. (1957) | to remove a spacesuit |
unsuited adv. (1957) | without wearing a spacesuit |