Subject: Genre
Different varieties and sub-varieties of literature.
| Word | Definition |
|---|---|
| adult fantasy n. (1932) | fantasy intended for adults rather than children |
| Africanfuturism n. (2018) | Nnedi Okoraforβs term for: a subgenre of science fiction that heavily features elements of African history or culture; cf. Afrofuturism |
| alternate history n. (1954) | a timeline that is different from that of our own world, usually extrapolated from the changing of a single event; the subgenre featuring such a timeline; (also) a story featuring this |
| anime n. (1985) | a Japanese animated film or television programme, drawn in a meticulously detailed style, usually featuring characters with distinctive large, staring eyes, and typically having a science-fiction or fantasy theme, sometimes including violent or sexually explicit material; this genre of entertainment |
| biopunk n. (1991) | a subgenre of science fiction that focuses on the societal effects of biotechnology and genetic engineering |
| catastrophe adj. (1948) | = disaster adj. |
| cli-fi n. (2009) | a subgenre of science fiction concerned with the effects of climate change |
| cosy catastrophe n. (No cites) | see catastrophe adj. |
| 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 |
| dark fantasy n. (1941) | a subgenre of fantasy that features gloomy or frightening themes, incorporating elements of horror n. |
| disaster adj. (1975) | designating a genre that deals with a global catastrophe (natural, man-made, or extraterrestrial in origin) and its aftermath |
| dystopia n. 2 (1955) | an imaginary place or state of affairs in which there is great suffering or injustice, esp. as the result of a totalitarian or dehumanizing political state; the genre of fiction set in such a situation; cf. utopia n. |
| fantascience n. (1934) | = science fantasy n. 3; science fiction n. 2 |
| fantasy n. 1 (1931) | a genre of fiction which contains elements of magic or the supernatural, frequently set in a world other than our own |
| future history n. (1937) | a fictional, self-contained, consistent, chronological framework (esp. realized across a body of work); (also) the subgenre of science fiction that uses such a framework |
| future war n. (1931) | a subgenre of science fiction dealing with warfare and how it will be practiced in the future |
| genre n. (1993) | the literary fields of science fiction, fantasy, and horror collectively; imaginative fiction |
| genre fantasy n. (1977) | stories, novels, etc. that are explicity written or published in the genre of fantasy, as opposed to ones which contain fantastic or supernatural elements but are written or published as mainstream or in another genre |
| genre science fiction n. (1971) | stories, novels, etc. that are explicity written or published as science fiction, as opposed to ones which contain science fictional elements but are written or published as mainstream or in another genre |
| grimdark n. (2008) | a subgenre of (esp. fantasy) fiction characterized by a nihilistic, violent, and dystopian atmosphere or setting |
| high fantasy n. (1971) | a subgenre of fantasy set in an imaginary world, typically having a medieval-style society and level of technology, usually featuring a quest or a conflict between Good and Evil, and often written in an elevated style |
| hopepunk n. (2017) | a subgenre of (esp. fantasy) fiction in which characters rebel against a challenging and esp. dystopian situation with optimism, kindness, or cooperation |
| horror n. (1898) | a genre intended to create a feeling of fear in the reader or viewer, especially one employing supernatural elements or monstrous creatures |
| imaginative adj. (1914) | denoting a genre of literature, etc. that is not realistic or mimetic; science fiction, fantasy, and horror collectively |
| impossible story n. (1913) | esp. in the early pulp era: a work of imaginative fiction; a different story n. |
| K/S n. (1978) | a subgenre of science fiction, originally published in fanzines and now esp. online, in which the Star Trek characters Kirk and Spock are portrayed as having a homosexual relationship; (later) any similar fiction in which a pair of (established) male characters is so portrayed |
| mainstream adj. (1953) | belonging to or characteristic of the dominant or traditional literary modes, especially representational fiction |
| manga n. (1951) | a Japanese genre of cartoons and comic books, typically drawn in a meticulously detailed style, usually featuring characters with distinctive large, staring eyes, sometimes including violent or sexually explicit material |
| mecha n. 2 (1992) | a genre, show, movie, etc. featuring mecha n. 1 |
| military science fiction n. (1979) | a subgenre of science fiction that focuses on the military and warfare, esp. when the setting is outer space or other worlds |
| mundane adj. 2 (2004) | denoting a subgenre of science fiction characterized by a rejection of themes considered scientifically implausible (as faster-than-light travel, alternate universes, etc.) |
| near-future adj. (1954) | denoting a subgenre of science fiction set in a future recognizably similar to a contemporary setting, having only moderate differences in technology |
| New Weird n. (2002) | a genre that incorporates elements of fantasy, science fiction, and horror, typically in a complex urban setting |
| non-genre adj. (1975) | not science fiction, fantasy, or horror; = mainstream adj. |
| planetary romance n. (1978) | a subgenre of science fiction that focuses on adventures taken on a planet's surface, especially in which the description of the planet is integral to the story; a work in this subgenre |
| postcyberpunk adj. (1989) | of or pertaining a subgenre of science fiction that employs some of cyberpunk's themes, especially the exploration of the effects of a high rate of technological change on society, but rejects the alienation and dystopianism of cyberpunk |
| proto-cyberpunk adj. (1987) | of or relating to works that prefigure the themes of cyberpunk n. 1; cf. postcyberpunk adj. |
| proto-science fiction n. (1962) | literary works, written before the establishment of science fiction as a recognized genre, that prefigure the themes of science fiction, especially ones involving fantastic voyages or technological innovations |
| pseudo-science n. (1927) | = science fiction n. 2 |
| science fantasy n. 1 (1931) | = science fiction n. 2; a work in this genre |
| science fantasy n. 2 (1932) | = imaginative fiction |
| science fantasy n. 3 (1948) | a genre which combines elements of science fiction and fantasy; a work in this genre |
| science fantasy n. 4 (1950) | a genre of science fiction characterized by phenomena which are thought to be scientifically impossible (such as time travel or ftl drives); soft science fiction n.; (also) a work in this genre |
| science fiction n. 1 (1897) | a work of science fiction n. 2 |
| science fiction n. 2 (1898) | a genre (of fiction, film, etc.) in which the plot or setting features speculative scientific or technological advances or differences |
| scientific fiction n. (1876) | = science fiction n. 2 |
| scientific romance n. (1873) | proto-science fiction written in the late 19th and early 20th centuries (especially in Britain), exemplified by H.G. Wells; in later use, science fiction that is similar in style or approach; also, a work of this kind |
| scientifiction n. (1916) | = science fiction n. 2 |
| SF/F n. (1981) | science fiction and fantasy, regarded as a single broad genre |
| SF/F/H n. (1979) | abbreviation for science fiction, fantasy, and horror |