Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction

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First date Word Definition
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 one’s mental ability
1986 nanomachine n. (1986) a nanotechnological machine
1986 nanotechnological adj. (1986) resulting from developments in nanotechnology; of or relating to nanotechnology
1986 proto-cyberpunk n. (1986) a writer of proto-cyberpunk works
1987 gengineer n. (1987) = genetic engineer n.
1987 holodeck n. (1987) chiefly in the fictional universe of the Star Trek franchise: a room providing a holographic environment
1987 nano n. (1987) = nanotechnology n.; (also) = nanobot n.
1987 nanotech adj. (1987) = nanotechnological adj.
1987 offworld n. (1987) a place away from Earth, or a particular planet or world regarded as the native world; another world or planet
1987 proto-cyberpunk adj. (1987) of or relating to works that prefigure the themes of cyberpunk n. 1; cf. postcyberpunk adj.
1987 replicant n. 2 (1987) a person who acts or behaves like a replicant n. 1, esp. in imitating or resembling others; a conformist person; a clone
1987 sharecropper n. (1987) a writer of sharecrops
1987 sharecropping n. (1987) the practice of writing sharecrops
1987 splatterpunk n. 1 (1987) a subgenre of horror fiction characterized by the frequent and graphic description of grisly violence, bloody deaths, and extreme sexual situations; (in later use also) a similar genre of movies, video games, etc.
1987 splatterpunk n. 2 (1987) an author of splatterpunk writing
1987 steampunk n. 1 (1987) a writer of steampunk n. 2
1987 steampunk n. 2 (1987) a subgenre of science fiction which has a historical setting (esp. based on industrialized, nineteenth-century society) and characteristically features steam-powered, mechanized machinery rather than electronic technology
1988 nanorobot n. (1988) = nanobot n.
1988 smeg v. (1988) in the British TV series Red Dwarf: (used as a mild expletive)
1988 smeg n. (1988) in the British TV series Red Dwarf: (used as a mild expletive)
1988 smeghead n. (1988) in the British TV series Red Dwarf: a foolish or contemptible person
1989 Borg n. (1989) in the fictional universe of the Star Trek franchise: a group of cybernetically enhanced aliens linked in a hive mind n.
1989 cyberpunkish adj. (1989) resembling or reminiscent of cyberpunk n. 1
1989 cyborging n. (1989) the process of converting a biological organism into a cyborg
1989 cyborgized adj. (1989) = cyborged adj.
1989 datasphere n. (1989) the notional environment in which digital data is stored; esp. the internet viewed in this way; (also) the realm of virtual reality; cyberspace n.
1989 gengineer v. (1989) to produce, develop, or alter through genetic engineering n.
1989 kilohour n. (1989) a period of one thousand hours
1989 nanite n. (1989) a nanomachine designed to build other nanomachines; a self-reproducing nanorobot
1989 nanobot n. (1989) a nanoscale self-propelled machine, esp. one that has some degree of autonomy and can reproduce