corpsicle n.
a cryogenically frozen person; someone in cold sleep n.; (also, occasionally) a frozen corpse
SF Encyclopedia
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1966
R. C. W. Ettinger
His wife, Mildred, has made many contributions, including a new name for the frozen, brittle people: Homo Snapiens. (This is certainly more dignified than Fred Pohl’s ‘corpsesicles’.)
in Worlds of Tomorrow Nov. 71/2 -
1969
Frederik Pohl
bibliography
It is true, however, that no corpsicle has yet been thawed and returned to life, and there’s no firm estimate of when one will be.
Age of Pussyfoot 210 -
1971
Larry Niven
‘Your newstapers called you people corpsicles… I never understood what the tapes meant.’ ‘It comes from popsicle. Frozen sherbet.’ Corbett had used the word himself before he had became one of them. One of the corpsicles, frozen dead.
in Galaxy Nov. 52/1 -
1973
Larry Niven
‘People used to call them corpsicles, frozen dead. Or Homo snapiens. You can imagine what would happen if you dropped them.’ Mr. Restarick did not smile. These people were in his charge, and he took his task seriously.
Defenseless Dead in Long ARM Gil Hamilton (1976) 66 -
1982
Robert A. Heinlein
I did not fully appreciate that last until I saw, in an election news story, that the corpsicles at Prehoda Pines Patience Park constituted three precincts all voting through pre-registered proxies.
Friday (1983) 172 -
1986
Lois McMaster Bujold
He took a breath, and let it out carefully. ‘I see. I guess you would get—pretty hardened, after a while. Is it true you guys call them corpse-sicles?’ ‘Some do,’ she admitted. ‘I don’t.’
Shards of Honor in Cordelia’s Honor (1999) 245 -
1990
Frederik Pohl
It had taken eight months for the last of the corpsicles in New Mayflower to be thawed, oriented, and paradropped to Newmanhome’s surface.
World at End of Time (1993) 53 -
1990
Greg Bear
Nobody’s ever brought back a corpsicle.
Heads 20 -
1990
Greg Bear
There are strong moral and religious feelings on Earth now about corpsicles; revival has been outlawed in seven nations.
Heads 33 -
1991
Spider Robinson
bibliography
It started when a janitor found a corpsicle floating in a rooftop swimming pool next to Central Park one August morning. A stiff, but I mean stiff.
Lady Slings the Booze (1992) 9 -
1998 Interzone Nov. 11
I don’t fancy leaving here as a corpsicle in steerage.
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2009
page image
Eric Brown
bibliography
Look, if it freezes to death we just unfreeze it, reboot it, and it’ll be as good as new. Or if its bod becomes a corpsicle, we just go back to the manufacturer and order another one.
Cold Testing in Asimov’s Science Fiction June 66
Research requirements
antedating 1966
Research History
Frederik Pohl appears to have originated this term.Earliest use as "corpse-sicle" is from 1966; Earliest confirmed use of "corpsicle" is from 1969.
Mike Christie found a cite from a 1979 reprint of Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle's "Inferno". Alan Bostick submitted a cite from a 1976 reprint of Larry Niven's "The Defenseless Dead". Alex Harman submitted a cite from a 1991 reprint of Larry Niven's "Rammer"; Mike Christie confirmed the cite in original 1971 magazine version.
Larry Niven has indicated that he borrowed this term, and suggested Pohl & Williamson's "The Reefs of Space" as a possible source. However, Rick Hauptmann reviewed "The Reefs of Space" and found no cites, and Enoch Forrester reviewed both "The Reefs of Space" and "Starchild" and also found no cites.
Mike Christie submitted a 1966 cite from R.C.W. Ettinger for the form "corpsesicles", which Ettinger credits to Pohl.
Dr M. Lohr submitted a cite for the form "corpse-sicles" from a 1999 reprint of Lois McMaster Bujold's "Cordelia's Honor". Arthur T. pointed out that this cite, as well as one from Spider Robinson's "Lady Slings the Booze" (which he submitted), are actually in the sense 'a frozen corpse'.
Edward Bornstein submitted a cite from an author's note at the end of a 1977 reprint of Frederik Pohl's "The Age of the Pussyfoot".
The cite does not appear in the original 1966 magazine version, and is dated July 1968, so this cannot be the source Ettinger mentions, Enoch Forrester found the cite in the first printing of the novel (1969), and this is (so far) the earliest confirmed use of the spelling "corpsicle".
Mike Christie submitted a cite from a 1983 reprint of Robert Heinlein's "Friday". Mike Christie submitted a cite from a 1992 reprint of Greg Bear's "Heads".
Last modified 2021-01-29 10:52:35
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