holodeck n.

chiefly in the fictional universe of the Star Trek franchise: a room providing a holographic environment

Holodecks first appeared under that name in Star Trek: The Next Generation, although similar technology was described earlier; ‘The Practical Joker’, a 1974 episode of Star Trek: The Animated Series features a room called ‘The Rec Room’ that is a precursor of the holodeck.

Memory Alpha


Star Trek

  • 1987 D. Gerrold Encounter at Farpoint (pilot episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation) 105 David Gerrold

    It was too late for classes to be in session, and he thought he might find other teenagers somewhere on the recreation or holodecks.

  • 1987 D. Gerrold Encounter at Farpoint (pilot episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation) 106 David Gerrold

    This is great… I've never seen a holodeck this big.

  • 1989 D. Dvorkin & D. Dvorkin Star Trek: Next Generation: Captains’ Honor vii. 134 David Dvorkin Daniel Dvorkin bibliography

    The outlines of the council chamber wavered, and suddenly Marcus was standing in the Centurion’s holodeck chamber.

  • 1989 D. Dvorkin & D. Dvorkin Star Trek: Next Generation: Captains’ Honor Epilogue 252 David Dvorkin Daniel Dvorkin bibliography

    ‘I'm afraid I still don’t understand how they got the doubles to sound and behave just like real people.’ ‘They're not doubles. The holodeck is run by a sophisticated computer program, which they—Marcus and Sejanus—simply told what to do.’ The turbolift doors opened, and Riker led Gretna down the corridor to the holodeck entrance. ‘Now…what you'll first see is a completely empty room—but whatever you want to make real in there, you can. Anything is possible in this room. Anything.’

  • 1989 D. Dvorkin & D. Dvorkin Star Trek: Next Generation: Captains’ Honor Epilogue 253 David Dvorkin Daniel Dvorkin bibliography

    ‘It’s like we're on another world,’ Gretna said, turning to take in the entire holodeck illusion. ‘And you could make images of people as well?’

  • 1992 P. David Imzadi vi. 46 Peter David bibliography

    Every so often, when I was feeling frivolous, I'd put it on and romp around the holodeck.

  • 1994 Sci Fi Entertainment Aug. 16/2

    Don’t let those guys into my holodeck!

  • 1995 Extrapolation Spring 56

    They are private moral lessons to be pondered in the isolation of the Holodeck.

  • 1996 D. W. Smith & K. K. Rusch Klingon xvii. 160 Dean Wesley Smith Kristine Kathryn Rusch bibliography

    I'll talk to Geordi about the possibility of turning Gowron’s story into a holodeck program to train Federation personnel.

  • 1998 W. Shatner et al. Spectre ii. 27 bibliography

    Head out on a holodeck adventure.

  • 1999 N. Spinrad Greenhouse Summer (2000) i. 8 Norman Spinrad

    ‘The Gardens of Allah will fulfill the great dream of your illustrious namesake, Sheik Al Fawzi, if not exactly in the manner he intended, and with a little creative financing, at a price you can easily afford,’ he burbled as Monique booted up the holodeck and loaded the chip.

  • 2002 Cult Times Dec. 58/3

    At least this was preferable to scientifically stupid nonsense like the ‘de-evolving’ crew in Genesis, or the sentient holodeck of Emergence.

  • 2005 Dreamwatch Feb. 74/2

    The season’s most successful hours include the gripping Janeway showcase Counterpart, the glorious holodeck romp Bride of Chaotica, the tense season finale Equinox, the fund time-travel tale Relativity, the oh-so-clever Course: Oblivion, the good-but-not-great City on the Edge of Forever rip-off Timeless, and the epic-but-predictable Borg bonanza Dark Frontier.


Research requirements

antedating 1987

Earliest cite

David Gerrold, "Encounter at Farpoint"

Research History
Jeff Wolfe submitted a 1987 cite from David Gerrold's "Encounter at Farpoint".

Last modified 2021-01-05 03:00:00
In the compilation of some entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries in OED.