Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction
Order by: alphabetical | chronological ( asc | desc )
| First date | Word | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Whoniverse n. (1981) | the fictional universe used as the setting for the British television series Doctor Who; (also) any media, fandom, etc. connected to Doctor Who |
| 1981 | xenoanthropologist n. (1981) | a person who studies alien cultures; a specialist in xenoanthropology n. |
| 1982 | cyberspace n. (1982) | the notional environment within which electronic communication occurs, esp. when represented as the inside of a computer system; space perceived as such by an observer but generated by a computer system and having no real existence; a virtual reality environment |
| 1982 | gravitics n. 2 (1982) | any of various devices making use of gravity or gravitational waves, as (a) sensors that use gravitational waves to detect objects in space; (b) a system that creates artificial gravity |
| 1982 | Kobayashi Maru n. (1982) | in the Star Trek universe: a training exercise in which a cadet commanding a ship must rescue a civilian vessel in enemy territory, with any strategy leading to an unsuccessful outcome; (hence) any no-win situation, esp. one used as a test of character |
| 1982 | nowhen adv. (1982) | (in time-travel contexts): in or at no time |
| 1982 | Whovian n. (1982) | a fan of the British television series Doctor Who |
| 1983 | cryosuspension n. (1983) | = cryostasis n. |
| 1983 | filking n. (1983) | among science fiction and fantasy fans: the writing or performing of filk songs |
| 1983 | jump pilot n. (1983) | one who pilots a spaceship through a jump n. |
| 1983 | power-up n. (1983) | in a video game: an item that immediately provides temporary extra abilities to a player |
| 1983 | 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 |
| 1983 | teleport n. 3 (1983) | an act of teleportation n. |
| 1984 | cloak v. (1984) | to make invisible or undetectable, esp. by means of a cloaking device n. |
| 1984 | cyberpunk n. 1 (1984) | a subgenre of science fiction typified by a bleak, high-tech setting in which a lawless subculture exists within an oppressive society dominated by computer technology |
| 1984 | cyberpunk n. 2 (1984) | an author of, or protagonist in, cyberpunk n. 1 |
| 1984 | dirtsider n. (1984) | a person who lives on a planet (in contrast to a person who lives or frequently travels in space) |
| 1984 | meat puppet n. (1984) | the human body; a physical human being, esp. in contrast to virtual reality or artificial intelligence |
| 1984 | slash n. (1984) | a subgenre of 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 |
| 1984 | Tardis-like adj. (1984) | denoting something whose capacity is greater than is suggested by its exterior appearance |
| 1984 | threedy n. (1984) | three-dimensional television or film |
| 1985 | anime n. (1985) | a Japanese animated film or television programme, drawn in a meticulously detailed style, usually featuring characters with distinctive large, staring eyes, and typically having a science-fiction or fantasy theme, sometimes including violent or sexually explicit material; this genre of entertainment |
| 1985 | gengineering n. (1985) | = genetic engineering n. |
| 1985 | posthumanist adj. (1985) | of or related to posthumanism n. |
| 1985 | posthumanity n. (1985) | the society or condition of posthumans |
| 1985 | redshirt n. (1985) | a character who is not portrayed in depth; (esp.) a character whose main plot function is to be killed |
| 1985 | shared world n. (1985) | a fictional setting in which multiple authors set their stories, esp. one created for this purpose |
| 1985 | -verse suffix (1985) | (used to form nouns denoting the fictional universe used as the setting of a series (or occasionally a work), typically in combination with the title, main character, or creator of the series); (also) any media, fandom, etc. connected to a series; cf. slightly earlier Whoniverse n. |
| 1986 | avatar n. (1986) | a graphical representation of a person in a computer-generated environment (as a game) |
| 1986 | condom n. (1986) | the milieu of (usually science fiction) conventions |
| 1986 | gripping hand n. (1986) | on the gripping hand: used to introduce a third point of view, fact, case, etc., that contrasts with two previous statements |
| 1986 | mecha n. 1 (1986) | chiefly in anime or manga: a large combat robot having humanoid form, typically controlled by an occupant |
| 1986 | mindfood n. (1986) | a substance taken as food or drink containing chemicals which increase oneβs mental ability |