Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction

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First date Word Definition
1894 time-travelling n. (1894) the activity of travelling into the past or future; hypothetical movement through time
1892 worldbuilder n. (1892) a writer who engages in world-building n.
1891 earthrise n. (1891) the rise of Earth above the horizon, as seen by an observer on (or in orbit around) the moon, or another planet; an instance of this
1890 space journey n. (1890) a journey in space
1889 speculative fiction n. 1 (1889) = science fiction n. 2; (sometimes spec.) hard science fiction n.
1889 telepath n. (1889) a person or being with the ability to use telepathy
1889 Terrestrial n. 1 (1889) a native or inhabitant of Earth; = earthling n.
1888 intergalactic adj. (1888) situated between galaxies; of, pertaining to, or occupying the regions between galaxies
1888 Lunarite n. (1888) a native or inhabitant of the Moon; = Lunarian n.; Lunite n.
1888 skyhook n. 1 (1888) an imaginary device for attaching something to the sky
1887 planetquake n. (1887) seismic activity on the surface of a planet, especially one other than Earth
1885 food pill n. (1885) an edible item providing a person’s complete nutritional needs in compact form
1885 telepath v. (1885) to transmit (a message, image, etc.) by telepathy; (also) to communicate with (a person) by telepathy; also intransitive; cf. telepathize v.
1883 Cerean n. (1883) a native or inhabitant of the dwarf planet Ceres
1883 Cerean adj. (1883) of or relating to the dwarf planet Ceres or its inhabitants
1883 ether ship n. (1883) a spaceship
1883 mad scientist n. (1883) a scientist who is insane or eccentric, esp. so as to be dangerous or evil: a stock figure of melodramatic horror stories
1883 stellar cartography n. (1883) a branch of cartography concerned with astronomical objects; (occas. cap.) an organizational unit or work area devoted to this; cf. astrogation n.
1883 Vernean adj. (1883) of, pertaining to, or characteristic of the science fiction of Jules Verne
1882 Earthean n. (1882) = Earthian n. 1
1882 Earthean adj. (1882) = Earthian adj.
1882 Marsian n. 2 (1882) the language of Marsians; = Martian n. 2
1882 Marsian adj. (1882) of or relating to the the planet Mars or its inhabitants; = Martian adj.
1882 shapeshifting n. (1882) the practice or act of changing shape to adopt the form of another animal or human
1882 solar system n. (1882) a system of one or more stars, often with accompanying planets
1880 areographer n. (1880) one who maps or studies the planet Mars
1880 earth folk n. (1880) = earth people n.
1880 pseudo-scientific adj. (1880) of or relating to pseudo-science; science fictional adj.
1880 spaceship n. (1880) a spacecraft; esp. a manned one under the control of its crew
1880 Tellurian adj. (1880) of, relating to, or living on Earth
1878 anti-gravitation n. (1878) a hypothetical force opposed to gravity
1878 space exploration n. (1878) the exploration of space