Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction

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Word Definition
clone n. (1966) any member of a hypothetical population of artificially produced, identical beings; (also) a duplicate of a living person
COA n. (1961) notification of a change of address
cold fusion n. (1956) nuclear fusion taking place at temperature lower than ordinarily required, spec. at or near room temperature
cold sleep n. (1941) a form of suspended animation in which the subjects are kept at very cold temperatures
cold sleep v. (1956) to undergo suspended animation for a period of time; (transitive) (rare) to put a person into cold sleep n.
cold sleeper n. (1969) a person in cold sleep
collapsium n. (1958) any of a variety of extremely high-density substances
colony planet n. (1942) a planet occupied by settlers (or their descendants) from another planet or area, typically under the political control of the parent state
combozine n. (1946) a collection of zines bound or published together, esp. for distribution at a convention
commlink n. (1974) a communication link; a communication device
communicator n. (1905) a device used for communication, esp. a small personal device used for voice communication
companion n. (1963) in the British television series Doctor Who: any of the usually human characters who (regularly) travel with the Doctor
completism n. (1944) the desire to have or collect a complete set of something
completist n. (1940) one who wishes to have or collect complete sets of something
con n. (1939) a convention; an organized gathering of fans; cf. -con suffix
-con suffix (1939) (used to form the names of conventions, with the first element indicating the location or (typically in informal designations) the main subject or focus of the event); cf. con n.
conapt n. (1964) an apartment in a condominium
con crud n. (1990) an illness (esp. a cold) suffered while or shortly after attending an SF convention
condom n. (1986) the milieu of (usually science fiction) conventions
congoer n. (1954) one who attends (usually science fiction) conventions
congoing n. (1959) attendance at (usually science fiction) conventions
conlang n. (1991) an artificially created language; esp. a language invented to represent the speech of an alien race
conreport n. (1953) a report of the events of a convention
construct n. (1970) an intelligent entity that is not biological, as a sentient hologram or a digital intelligence; an artificially created or hybridized being
continuum n. (1938) a universe; dimension n.
contragravity n. (1929) = antigravity n.
contraterrene adj. (1941) made of, or making use of, antimatter; cf. seetee n., terrene adj. 2
core n. (1964) the center of a galaxy
coreward adj. (1979) toward the center of a galaxy; cf. core n.
corpsicle n. (1966) a cryogenically frozen person; someone in cold sleep n.; (also, occasionally) a frozen corpse
cosy catastrophe n. (No cites) see catastrophe adj.
counterfactual n. (1991) a work of alternate history n.
countergrav n. (1955) = antigravity n.
countergravity n. (1937) = antigravity n.
countergravity adj. (1940) = antigravity adj.
credit n. (1934) a unit of currency
croggle v. (1954) to astonish, bewilder, baffle
croggled adj. (1962) astonished, baffled, bewildered
crudzine n. (1947) a zine regarded as low quality
cruiser n. (1900) a spaceship, esp. a relatively large and powerful military spaceship
cryogenics n. (1960) = cryostasis n.; cryonics n.