Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction
Order by: alphabetical | chronological ( asc | desc )
First date | Word | Definition |
---|---|---|
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 |
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. |
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 |
1981 | big dumb object n. (1981) | a large, mysterious, alien-made artifact encountered in space or on another world |
1981 | Clarke belt n. (1981) | the ring-shaped region around the Earth containing all possible geostationary orbits |
1981 | doppel n. (1981) | a duplicate version of a person, as a clone, a virtual-reality representation, a shapeshifter, etc. |
1981 | filker n. (1981) | one who sings filk songs; = filk singer n. |
1981 | flux capacitor n. (1981) | in the film Back to the Future and its sequels: the core component of the time machine made of a DeLorean automobile |
1981 | Jedi mind trick n. (1981) | in the fictional universe of the Star Wars franchise: a telepathic technique of psychological manipulation used by the Jedi |
1981 | jump engine n. (1981) | = jump drive n. |
1981 | SF/F n. (1981) | science fiction and fantasy, regarded as a single broad genre |
1981 | skin job n. 2 (1981) | a robot that has skin; (spec.) an android that cannot easily be distinguished from a human |
1981 | utopian adj. (1981) | possessing or regarded as having impossibly or extravagantly ideal conditions in respect of politics, customs, social organization, etc. |
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. |
1980 | carbonite n. (1980) | a carbon-based material in which a person can be cryogenically preserved |
1980 | Darth n. 2 (1980) | (used as a title before the name of someone regarded as evil or an enemy) |