Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction

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First date Word Definition
1919 Venerian adj. (1919) pertaining to Venus or Venusians; = Venustian adj.
1920 inner space n. (1920) the human mind; the innermost parts of one’s psyche
1920 light-hour n. (1920) the distance light travels in one hour
1920 moon rocket n. (1920) a rocket designed for travel to the Moon
1920 robot n. (1920) a (semi-)intelligent artificial being typically made of metal and resembling in some way a human or other animal
1920 sentient adj. (1920) sapient; intelligent
1920 world-building n. (1920) the creation of fictional realms and their geology, geography, biology, etc., often including the history and culture of their inhabitants
1921 Betelgeusean adj. (1921) of, pertaining to, or characteristic of the Betelgeuse system or its inhabitants
1921 Betelgeusean n. 1 (1921) a native or inhabitant of the Betelgeuse system
1921 deep space n. (1921) that part of space far away from planets or stars
1921 geas n. (1921) in fantasy writings: a spell; a magical compulsion
1921 time binding n. (1921) in General Semantics: the characteristically human ability to transmit knowledge to succeeding generations by means of (written) language; (hence, in Fandom) the act of documenting fannish activities
1922 earth person n. (1922) a native or inhabitant of Earth; cf. earth people n.
1923 fantasist n. (1923) a writer of fantasy n. 1
1923 fantastic n. 1 (1923) of a creative work: that which has the qualities of fantasy n. 1
1923 parallel universe n. (1923) a universe conceived of as existing alongside our own, having many similarities to it but usually differing from it in some significant way (as having a different history or different physical laws)
1923 space travel n. (1923) travel through outer space
1923 weird adj. (1923) describing supernatural horror (often in weird fiction, weird story, etc.)
1923 weird n. (1923) something that is weird adj.; weird fiction collectively
1924 robotically adv. 1 (1924) in the manner of a robot; mechanically; without emotion
1924 space-borne adj. (1924) travelling or carried through space; also, carried out in space or by means of instruments in space
1924 space rocket n. (1924) a rocket designed to travel beyond a planet's atmosphere
1925 blaster n. (1925) a weapon that fires a destructive beam of energy
1925 matter-transmitting adj. (1925) designating or relating to a matter transmitter n.
1925 rocket-ship n. (1925) a spacecraft powered by rockets
1925 space cruiser n. (1925) a spaceship; = cruiser n.
1926 gravity screen n. (1926) a device that creates or prevents the effects of gravity; the effect of such a device
1926 inhuman n. (1926) a nonhuman being; cf. alien n.
1926 starship n. (1926) a spaceship capable of interstellar travel
1926 vacuum suit n. (1926) = space suit n.
1927 artificial gravity n. (1927) any technological effect that simulates gravity, esp. in a spaceship
1927 interplanetary n. (1927) a story about interplanetary travel
1927 Lovecraftian adj. (1927) of, relating to, or characteristic of the writing of H. P. Lovecraft, esp. in featuring elements of supernatural and often existential horror
1927 materialize v. (1927) to appear in a (reconstituted) physical form after travelling through space or time by means of a matter transmitter or similar device