sexbot

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-sexbot.wav

Jealous wives may destroy sexbot rivals and sue the manufacturer.

2000, Richard Rhodes, Visions of technology:

Another way that virtual entertainment might go is in the direction of the so-called sexbot. This would be a robotic device with artificial skin […]

2000, Joseph N Pelton, e-Sphere: the rise of the world-wide mind:

Having a sexbot had turned out to be more than Nosir had anticipated.

Given that people become addicted to all sorts of pleasures from slot machines to e-mail, sexbot addiction might be inevitable […]

2006, David N L Levy, Robots unlimited: life in a virtual age:

Then, we have sexbots, which are based on 1950 stereotypes about how a woman should behave: acquiescent, willing, always ready and patient in the home. How can that combo of 50s behaviour and porn-star looks be good for us as Homo sapiens?

2021 July 25, Claire Armitstead, quoting Jeanette Winterson, “Jeanette Winterson: ‘The male push is to discard the planet: all the boys are going off into space’”, in The Guardian:

(science fiction) A robot designed to have sexual intercourse with humans.

A lifelike love doll integrated with robotics to simulate human body movements and intelligence.


Flash

(DC Comics) Any of various DC Comics superheroes who have the power of superspeed, derived from an energy called the Speed Force.


ghosthunter

They watched the two ghost-hunters run own the corridor and go crashing over the trip-wire.

1971, Richard Carpenter, Catweazle and the Magic Zodiac, Harmondsworth: Puffin Books, page 119:

His reputation as a ghosthunter grew stronger and others began contacting him for investigations and "exorcisms."

1992, Blanche Barton, The secret life of a Satanist: the authorized biography of Anton LaVey:

The most prolific and successful German horror writer of the Hefte is Helmut Rellergerd (1945-), who writes as Jason Dark about a ghosthunter named John...

1999, John Clute, John Grant, The encyclopedia of fantasy:

The Frighteners (1996) has a ghosthunter, Frank, working with a trio of ghosts who infest premises that he then clears.

2004, Tom Ruffles, Ghost images: cinema of the afterlife:

The last two years have certainly made me a ghosthunter, perhaps not in the intensive style exhibited by ghosthunter clubs and "professional" ghosthunters...

2005, John B Kachuba, Ghosthunting Illinois:

A person who attempts to track down ghosts.


ghosthunting

Investigations that aim to track down ghosts.

spokenjacht

Investigations aiming to track down ghosts


castle in the air

en-noun

castle in the air (plural castles in the air)

/ˈkɑːs(ə)l ɪn ðiː ˈɛə/

/ˈkæs(ə)l ɪn ði ˈɛəɹ/

Many times ſuch men when they come to themſelves, tell ſtrange things of Heauen and Hell, what viſions they haue ſeene; […] The like effects almost are to bee ſeene in ſuch as are awake: How many Chimæras, Anticks, golden mountaines, and Caſtles in the Aire doe they build vnto themſelves?

1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], “Of the Force of Imagination”, in The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition 1, section 2, member 3, subsection 2, page 81:

Look you, Amanda, you may build castles in the air, "and fume, and fret, and grow thin and lean, and pale and ugly, if you please." But I tell you, no man worth having is true to his wife, or can be true to his wife, or ever was, or will be so.

1696, John Vanbrugh, The Relapse; or, Virtue in Danger. […] (Bell’s British Theatre; XXVI), London: Printed for the proprietors, under the Direction of John Bell, […], published 1795, →OCLC, act III, scene ii, page 72:

Her unlimited devotion for "the family," readily induced the old lady to acquiesce in his proposal, though not without a gentle sigh over the ruins of a castle in the air, which was founded on the well-saved purse of Mistress Deborah Debbitch.

1822, [Walter Scott], chapter III, in Peveril of the Peak. […], volume III, Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co., →OCLC, page 70:

She had a vivid imagination; […] and it is a fact, that while she was dressing for dinner, and after she had asked Amelia whether her brother was very rich, she had built for herself a most magnificent castle in the air, of which she was mistress, with a husband somewhere in the background (she had not seen him as yet, and his figure would not therefore be very distinct); […]

1847 January – 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, “Rebecca is in Presence of the Enemy”, in Vanity Fair […], London: Bradbury and Evans […], published 1848, →OCLC, page 18:

If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.

1854 August 9, Henry D[avid] Thoreau, “Conclusion”, in Walden; or, Life in the Woods, Boston, Mass.: Ticknor and Fields, →OCLC, page 346:

We used to build castles in the air. We had big dreams. I'm not sure if you still have those dreams, but I still have dreams.

2013 December 18, Kenneth Khulekani Khoza, Castles in the Air, [Bloomington, Ind.]: Xlibris, →ISBN, act I, scene i, page 21:

(idiomatic) A desire, idea, or plan that is unlikely to ever be realized; a visionary project or scheme; a daydream, an idle fancy, a near impossibility.

kështjella në erë

desire, idea, or plan unlikely to ever be realized


From James Bond's code number in the series of books by Ian Fleming.

[…] the new Bond also features a new lead actor. Pierce Brosnan has now taken on the role of the legendary 007.

1995 November 20, Jet, Johnson Publishing Co., ISSN 0021-5996, Volume 89, Number 2, page 62

The fictional gadgets of 007 are entertaining and perhaps even offer inspiration to the secret-gadget makers, but the real thing has to be field-tested, as an agent’s life may depend on it.

2001 February, Hank Schlesinger, “Spy Secrets of the CIA”, in Popular Science, Times Mirror Magazines, ISSN 0161-7370, Volume 258, Number 2, page 65

If slipping the ultra-compact, ultra-light, ultra-thin Exilim S500 Card Camera into your shirt pocket doesn’t make you feel at least a little bit like 007 on vacation it’s likely no camera ever will.

2005, Steve Klett et al., “Compact Camera Kerfluffle”, in Maximum PC, Future Network USA (publisher), ISSN 1522-4279, Holiday 2005 issue, page 84


biot

(science fiction) A robot composed of living components.


cosmicism

The literary philosophy developed by the American writer H. P. Lovecraft, stating that there is no recognizable divine presence, such as God, in the universe, and that humans are particularly insignificant in the larger scheme of intergalactic existence.


feelie

From feel + -ie. In the video game sense, introduced by the game publisher Infocom in the 1980s.

Seven and a half hours of mild, unexhausting labour, and then the soma ration and games and unrestricted copulation and the feelies. What more can they ask for?

1932, Aldous Huxley, Brave New World, London: Chatto & Windus:

One of our brighter young Utopians, Aldous Huxley, predicts that the movies of the future will include “feelies” and “smellies.”

1941, Arthur Kissam Train, The Story of Everyday Things, Harper & Brothers, page 390:

TikTok’s endless talent show is so captivating that members of the intelligence community fear China could use the platform to spy on Americans or to disseminate propaganda—feelies as a weapon of war.

2023 January 30, Megan Garber, “We’ve Lost the Plot”, in The Atlantic:

(science fiction, often in the plural) A proposed future entertainment, akin to a film/movie, where the audience can physically feel what happens to the characters.


paleocontact

ancient astronauts
ancient astronauts#English

The theory that intelligent extraterrestrial beings (sometimes called ancient astronauts) visited Earth in the distant past, influencing human culture, technology, or religion.


archdemon

(religion, fantasy) A chief demon; an archdevil.


xenology

From xeno- + -logy. Coined prior to 1974 and later popularized by Robert Freitas.

(science fiction) The study of alien life.


computronium

Toffoli says he thinks of CAM-8 as "computronium" — a flexible "element" capable of mimicking all other elements and particles, real or imagined.

1990 February 17, I. Amato, “Computronium: the 'element' that imitates”, in Science News, volume 137, number 7, page 103:

The process of making computers on ever smaller scales, using physical degrees of freedom and the laws of physics in an ever more efficient manner, can be thought of as a refining process. In this process we are trying to refine and concentrate the computing power inherent in the laws of physics. You might ask, "Can we achieve 100% pure 'Computronium'?"

1992, Norman Margolus, “Fundamental Physical Constraints on the Computational Process”, in BC Crandall, James Lewis, editors, Nanotechnology: Research and Perspectives, The MIT Press, →ISBN, page 202:

They should be working on uploading and solving the nanoassembly conformational problem instead. Then we could turn all the available dumb matter into computronium and use it for processing our thoughts. Long-term, it's the only way to go.

2005, Charles Stross, Accelerando, Ace Books, Chapter 1, "Lobsters"

To this end, the AI might produce computronium (matter organized in a configuration that is optimal for computation) and use it to implement digital minds in states of euphoria.

2014, Nick Bostrom, Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies, Oxford University Press, page 140:

(science fiction, philosophy) A hypothetical material engineered to maximize its use as a computing substrate.


spacefarer

From space + farer. Compare spacefaring, seafarer.

(chiefly science fiction) a person who travels in space

зарапла́вец

a person who travels in space — see also astronaut


ramscoop

(science fiction) A proposed space travel technology using enormous electromagnetic fields as a scoop to collect and compress hydrogen and trigger thermonuclear fusion, thus powering the vessel.


precog

Clipping of precognitive. Coined by American author Philip K. Dick in 1954, and popularized in his 1956 short story "The Minority Report".

coin

(science fiction) A precognitive person.

(science fiction) Clipping of precognition.


precog

en-adj

precog (comparative more precog, superlative most precog)

more precog (comparative)
most precog (superlative)

(science fiction) Clipping of precognitive.


kiloyear

(geology, science fiction) Synonym of millennium: A period of one thousand years.


astrogate

en-verb

astrogate (third-person singular simple present astrogates, present participle astrogating, simple past and past participle astrogated)

astrogates (present singular third-person)
astrogating (participle present)
astrogated (participle past)
astrogated (past)

Sure, Mike was used to having many loads in trajectory at once—but had never had to astrogate more than one at a time. Now he had hundreds and had promised to deliver twenty-nine of them simultaneously to the exact second at twenty-nine pinpointed targets.

1966, Robert A. Heinlein, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, New York: Ace, published 2018, Book 3, Chapter 25:

(science fiction, transitive, intransitive) To astronavigate; to control and guide a spacecraft.


chrononaut

From chrono- + -naut, modelled on astronaut and/or cosmonaut.

The honour of the final great mistake will go to David Powers, Scientist Chrononaut.

1972, Amazing Science Fiction Stories, volume 46, page 119:

The conventional view of time travel, however, has the ‘chrononauts’ travelling backwards and forwards in time. But in a more restricted sense we are all chrononauts, on a one-way fixed-speed journey into the future.

1999, John Guy Porter, Patrick Moore, Yearbook of Astronomy, page 146:

This tiny accident, because of the multiplicative effect of unforeseeable circumstances, results in an important alteration in the present time when the chrononauts return — the language is spoken differently and a different President of the United States has been elected.

2002, José Luis Sanz, Starring T. Rex!: Dinosaur Mythology and Popular Culture, page 62:

(science fiction, dated) A time-traveller.


Cronenbergian

en-adj

Cronenbergian (comparative more Cronenbergian, superlative most Cronenbergian)

more Cronenbergian (comparative)
most Cronenbergian (superlative)

Of or pertaining to David Paul Cronenberg (1943-), Canadian filmmaker and screenwriter and one of the principal originators of the body horror genre, or to his works.

"Aren't you HORRIFIED by my FREAKISH, CRONENBERGIAN METAMORPHOSIS?"

2009, Jeph Jacques, Questionable Content (webcomic), Number 1503: Nonplussed:

(by extension) Pertaining to body horror.


jabberwocky

en-noun

jabberwocky (usually uncountable, plural jabberwockies)

From Jabberwocky, a nonsense poem written by Lewis Carroll.

"I like the way your mind works, Hosler," Stanley said. "You go after concrete proof of your contentions - none of this scientific jabborwocky."

1962, J. Hunter Holly, The Flying Eyes, page 47:

Invented or meaningless language; nonsense.


mermaidlike

en-adj

mermaidlike (comparative more mermaidlike, superlative most mermaidlike)

more mermaidlike (comparative)
most mermaidlike (superlative)

Resembling or characteristic of a mermaid.


animanga

en-noun

animanga (countable and uncountable, plural animanga or animangas)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-animanga.wav

The animanga reality-art contest is held in conjunction with our annual program Animanga Mini-Con and sponsored by our animanga club.

2014, Carol Smallwood, Bringing the Arts into the Library, page 123:

(uncountable) Japanese comics (manga) and Japanese animation (anime) taken collectively.

(countable) A manga created from cels from an anime.


supersoldier

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-supersoldier.wav

Kelly: Is it true we have a pod containing a baby krogan down in the cargo hold?
Shepard: Not a baby. He's a full-grown super soldier ready for combat.
Kelly: Please be careful if you decide to... err... birth him? His personality is completely unknown.

2010, BioWare, Mass Effect 2 (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →OCLC, PC, scene: Normandy SR-2:

(science fiction) A soldier with remarkable strength, stamina, etc., especially if assisted by technology or genetics.


beauty and the beast

From the traditional fairy tale. See Beauty and the Beast at Wikipedia.

Two individuals, usually but not necessarily romantically involved, one of whom is considerably more attractive than the other.

kaunotar ja hirviö

two individuals, usually but not necessarily romantically involved, one of whom is considerably more attractive than the other


semi-human

The greater exposure to danger which these more adventurous spirits encountered and the constant struggles that these semi-human creatures must have had with definite enemies no less than with the forces of nature provided factors which rapidly weeded out those unfitted for the new conditions, and by natural selection made real men of the survivors.

1912 September 6, “Say Life Problem Cannot Be Solved”, in The New York Times:

Great God! They were moving! They were rushing swiftly and noiselessly downwards! Black, black as night, huge, ill-defined, semi-human and altogether evil and damnable.

1925 July – 1926 May, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “(please specify the chapter number)”, in The Land of Mist (eBook no. 0601351h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg Australia, published April 2019:

In one of the layers, close to the floor, are bones of Australopithecus prometheus, a small, spry primate whom Professor Dart considers at least semi-human.

1955 January 17, “Science: Ever-Populated Valley”, in TIME:

These characters prove wonderfully amusing company in their own right, but their entrances are enhanced by a fantastic, hilarious setting - a futuristic cantina catering to all the human, semi-human and non-human riffraff in the territory.

1977 May 25, Gary Arnold, “'Star Wars': A Spectacular Intergalactic Joyride”, in The Washington Post:

Rea is the creation of Professor Justine Cassell, a cognitive psychologist and linguistics expert. Rea is a virtual mannequin that seems semi-human.

2000 September 18, Dolly Setton, “Invasion of the Virbots”, in Forbes:


interdimensional

By their own mysterious yardstick, extraterrestrials and interdimensionals choose the most unlikely individuals for close encounters of the third kind on up: for starters Gilliland, Whitley Strieber, Jim Moroney, Betty and Barney Hill.

2012, Richard Grossinger, Dark Pool of Light, Volume Three: The Crisis and Future of Consciousness:

(science fiction) A hypothetical being that can move between dimensions.


Pottermania

The stage and state of Pottermania, though, vary greatly by country.

2004, Lana A Whited, The ivory tower and Harry Potter: perspectives on a literary phenomenon:

God's last book warns, "by sorcery all the nations were deceived" (Revelation 18:23). Will Pottermania contribute to the fulfillment of this prediction?

2005, Steve Wohlberg, End Time Delusions:

Pottermania Good, Clean Fun or Cultural Hegemony?

2008, Elizabeth E Heilman, Critical Perspectives on Harry Potter:

In the wake of Pottermania, many children's books have been repackaged for an adult market.

2008, Sandra L Beckett, Crossover Fiction: Global and Historical Perspectives:

(informal) Enthusiasm for the Harry Potter franchise.


havfrue

A girl one time fell into the power of a Havfrue and passed fifteen years in her submarine abode without ever seeing the sun.

1850, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, London: H.G. Bohn, page 153:

(mythology) A type of mermaid of Danish folklore.


anthro

anthro (countable and uncountable, plural anthros)

I gather the phrase is used in lieu of some more practical benefit, e.g., a "job," which, as holders of English lit and anthro degrees can tell you, isn't necessarily part of the program.

1988 September 9, Cecil Adams, “The Straight Dope”, in Chicago Reader:

Unlikely as it seemed, he might somehow return to the Empire, and if that happened, any information he could bring back would be valuable to the socio and anthro specialists.


turboencabulator

A fanciful construction from turbo-, en-, cab, -ule, -ate, and -or.

(humorous) A fictional machine whose name is used to illustrate the perils of excessive jargon in technical writing.


gengineered

genetically engineered
genetically engineered

(science fiction) genetically engineered


earthside

(science fiction) On or to the planet Earth.


slidewalk

(science fiction) A pavement/sidewalk that moves in the manner of a conveyor belt.


spacehand

From space + hand, analogous to deckhand.

(science fiction) A low-ranking member of the crew of a spaceship.


spacelegs

Very cautiously — it was more than a year since he had last been weightless and it would be some time before he regained his spacelegs — he hauled himself hand over hand through the airlock and into the large, circular chamber at the axis of the Space Station.

1968, Arthur C. Clarke, 2001: A Space Odyssey:

(science fiction) The ability to work confidently in space, or a zero-gravity environment.


electrogravitics

a proposed science involving the use of an electric field to charge (or polarize) an object so as to counteract the effects of gravity.


land of Nod

From Genesis 4:16, first used by Jonathan Swift as a play on words for the modern-day meaning. Compare nod off.

Neverout. Why, miss, if you fall asleep, somebody may get a pair of gloves. / Col. I'm going to the land of Nod.

1731 (date written), Simon Wagstaff [pseudonym; Jonathan Swift], “Dialogue III”, in A Complete Collection of Genteel and Ingenious Conversation, […], London: […] B[enjamin] Motte […], published 1738, →OCLC, page 214:

From breakfast on through all the day / At home among my friends I stay; / But every night I go abroad / Afar into the land of Nod.

1885, Robert Louis Stevenson, “The Land of Nod”, in A Child's Garden of Verses:

[…] but she was too tired for anything under heaven to disturb her, and after a moment of wakeful dreaming she was in the land of Nod!

1892, Wenona Gilman [pseudonym; Florence Blackburn White Schoeffel], chapter XXX, in Leonie, The Typewriter, New York: Norman L. Munro:

(poetic) The state of sleep, or an imaginary place that one inhabits when asleep.


overmind

(science fiction) The leading or controlling mind in a groupmind.


dragonet

in his wombe might lurke some hidden nest / Of many Dragonets, his fruitfull seed […]

1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto XII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:


Miltonian

en-adj

Miltonian (comparative more Miltonian, superlative most Miltonian)

more Miltonian (comparative)
most Miltonian (superlative)

Of or pertaining to John Milton (1608–1674), English poet, or his works.


loogaroo

Probably from English loup-garou or its source, French loup-garou (“werewolf”). Compare Haitian Creole lougarou.

Coordinate term: soucouyant

(mythology, Caribbean) A creature of Caribbean mythology similar to a vampire or werewolf.


epic

From Middle French épique, from Latin epicus, from Ancient Greek ἐπικός (epikós), from ἔπος (épos, “word, story”).

The Icelandic epic took all night to recite.

An extended narrative poem in elevated or dignified language, celebrating the feats of a deity, demigod (heroic epic), other legend or traditional hero.


Heinleinian

Heinleinian (comparative more Heinleinian, superlative most Heinleinian)

more Heinleinian (comparative)
most Heinleinian (superlative)

Of or pertaining to Robert A. Heinlein (1907–1988), American science fiction writer, or to his works; characteristic of the writing of Robert A. Heinlein.


kemonomimi

en-noun

kemonomimi (plural kemonomimi or kemonomimis)

kemonomimi (plural)
kemonomimis (plural)

From Japanese 獣(けもの)耳(みみ) (kemonomimi), from 獣(けもの) (kemono, “animal”) + 耳(みみ) (mimi, “ear”).

(Japanese fiction) A humanoid fictional character who possesses animal ears and/or tails.


body horror

A genre of horror fiction based around the graphic destruction or alteration of the body.


spinward

en-adv

spinward (comparative more spinward, superlative most spinward)

more spinward (comparative)
most spinward (superlative)

It was half-daylight; the shadow of the terminator was coming in from spinward like a black curtain.

1970 October, Larry Niven, Ringworld, New York, N.Y.: Ballantine Books, →ISBN:

Edna's language was peppered with the unfamiliar. You found your way around a spinning space habitat by going spinward or antispinward or axisward ...

2007, Arthur C. Clarke with Stephen Baxter, Firstborn [A Time Odyssey; 3], New York, N.Y.: Del Rey Books; Ballantine Books, →ISBN:

spinward adv. in or toward the direction that something (a space station, galaxy, etc.) is rotating. Also as adj.

2007, Jeff Prucher, editor, Brave New Words: The Oxford Dictionary of Science Fiction, New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 215:

"[…] You would fall against the anti-spinward wall and slide down along that wall until you hit the floor ..." / "Whoa, whoa, whoa ..." Lars interrupted. "Anti-spinward? What in the world?" / "Moving in the same direction as the Station's direction of spin is considered spinward. Moving in the direction opposite the spin is considered anti-spinward. You sound like a boy asking what one does with his hands when the rollercoaster car leaves the track."

2015, Steven Burgauer, Skullcap, Bloomington, Ind.: iUniverse, →ISBN:

(often science fiction) In a rotating reference frame, along the direction of spin.


Dorothy dollar

From Dorothy Gale, a character in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, whose actress Judy Garland in the 1939 film adaptation is a symbol among the LGBT community.

(US) The business generated by providing goods and services to the homosexual community.


Sol III

From Earth's position as the third planet from the Sun (Sol).

The alien lecturer describes the Terrans as a “newly emerged race from Sol III [Earth]” who are only just beginning to communicate with other species, but not very successfully, as the Aldebaran IV incident demonstrates.

2012 June, Dianne Newell, Victoria Lamont, Judith Merril: A Critical Study, McFarland & Company, page 86:

[…] enshrouded in bitterness and misery a man named Colin Marshack on an insignificant planet called Sol III, Earth, Terra, the world...

2014 April, Harlan Ellison, Paingod: And Other Delusions, Open Road Media, page 31:

At last the ship made its final approach to Sol III: Earth.

2016 October, Stephen Baxter, Destiny's Children: Coalescent, Exultant, Transcendent, Resplendent, Orion Publishing Group, page 50:

“VIRA, determine our current position and chart the fastest course to the next portal. We're going home to Earth!” “Current location: orbiting the moon of Sol III, also known as Earth.”

2017, Marc Baumgartner, Inheritance of Stars: New Worlds, tredition, page 388:

(chiefly science fiction) The planet Earth.


gadgeteer

Someone interested in, or owning a lot of, gadgets.


air pirate

(science fiction, fantasy) A pirate who travels by aircraft and targets other aircraft, analogously to the actions of a traditional seafaring pirate against ships.

A person involved in air piracy (aircraft hijacking).


dogman

From dog (“the domesticated mammal Canis familiaris or Canis lupus familiaris”) + -man (suffix denoting someone (possibly implied male) who is an expert in an area, who is employed or holds a position in an area, or who takes part in an activity) or man (senses 2 and 3).

suffix

[T]his tradition certainly influenced that of Dog-Men (cynanthropy) and of dog-headed men (cynocephaly), […] Dog-Men, however, have historically enjoyed a much richer and more varied mythology than their lycanthropic cousins, no doubt as a result of the ambiguity of the dog itself as much as of cultural or historical trends.

1991, David Gordon White, “Hell is Other People”, in Myths of the Dog-man, Chicago, Ill., London: University of Chicago Press, →ISBN, page 15:

A dogman’s legs are back bent, crooked as a dog’s. Its body is covered in fine fur, and its face has a dog-like snout and ear. A dogman’s arms and torso are completely humanoid, save for the its strange paws, that are vaguely human-like, but with thick dark claws.

2002, Sovereign Stone: Bestiary of Loerem, Lake Geneva, Wis.: Sovereign Press, →ISBN, page 56, column 1:

I was interested in the Wisconsin dogman sightings, which were kind of scary, but when you started talking about the ones showing up in bedrooms I must have been agape and my hair [standing] on end.

2016, Linda S. Godfrey, quoting Matt Ballotti, “Shadow Wolves”, in Monsters among Us: An Exploration of Otherworldly Bigfoots, Wolfmen, Portals, Phantoms, and Odd Phenomena, New York, N.Y.: TarcherPerigee, →ISBN, pages 95–96:

Sightings of mysterious creatures that appear to be part human and part wolf are reported in modern times all over the world. […] Their apparent hybrid nature makes them “dogmen” or “man-wolves.” […] Reports of dogmen date to ancient times. In some cases, they were thought to be a type of debased human.

2018, Rosemary Ellen Guiley, “Introduction: An Overview of Werewolves and Their Kin”, in Rosemary Ellen Guiley, editor, Fate Presents Werewolves and Dogmen, New Milford, Conn.: Visionary Living, →ISBN:

(cryptozoology, mythology) An alleged cryptid or mythological creature that is part dog and part man; also (religion) a deity who is part dog and part man.


autodestruction

(chiefly science fiction) A feature of a system whereby it destroys itself.


superlumic

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-superlumic.wav

faster-than-light; having a speed greater than light.


career criminal

en-noun

career criminal (plural career criminals)

A person who makes a living illegally by committing crimes.

ammattirikollinen

a person who makes a living illegally by committing crimes


autoerotica

Needless to say, the guy paid dearly for his little experiment in autoerotica, and probably will never experience the joy of a jump rope in quite the same way.

2000, Wendy Northcutt, The Darwin Awards: Evolution in Action, volume 1, page 272:

I couldn't even fathom what sort of sci-fi themed autoerotica might be on display for the perverted and sexually repressed masses that this sort of event obviously attracts.

2011, Bryan Young, Lost at the Con, page 80:


Closetgate

From closet + -gate; from the name of the South Park television episode "Trapped in the Closet" (referring to the figurative "closet" that homosexuals who have not disclosed their sexual orientation are said to be in).

Closetgate is heating up! Paramount has joined Tom Cruise's public relations rep in denying reports that the movie star strong-armed the studio into spiking a "South Park" episode that ridicules him and Scientology.

2006 March 18, Scott Collins, “Clamor outside `South Park' closet”, in Los Angeles Times:

The Los Angeles Times dubbed the flap Closetgate. "For Stone and Parker, Closetgate will be the gift that keeps on giving," it said.

2006 March 19, David Usborne, “South Park declares war on Tom Cruise”, in The Independent:

Viacom says it's dropping actor Tom Cruise for his strange behaviour. You fans will remember the South Park 'Closetgate' episode and 'couch incident' on the popular talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show of May 23, 2005.

2006 August 23, Anu Anand, “Congo, Iran & Tom Cruise”, in BBC World Service:

Dubbed Closetgate, Comedy Central, a network owned by Viacom, pulled a rerun of this Emmy-nominated episode, supposedly under pressure from Tom Cruise, who threatened to bail out of promoting his upcoming film "Mission: Impossible III," which was being released by Paramount, a division of Viacom.

2009, David Lake, “The 10 Most Controversial 'South Park' Episodes”, in MSN TV, archived from the original on 2009-04-06:

Matt Stone and Trey Parker – the show’s fearless creators – were not afraid to call out Cruise on his power play – being dubbed “Closetgate” by The L.A. Times – even taking out ads, proclaiming tongue-in-cheek that they themselves were "servants of Xenu" and that the "million-year war for Earth" had only just begun, presumably now that their show had been screwed with backdoor deals.

2009, “Tom Cruise - Biography”, in Turner Classic Movies:

Loony toon ... Controversy erupted in March over a South Park episode that made light of Tom's religion, Scientology. The LA Times dubbed it "Closetgate" as Comedy Central pulled the episode at the last minute.

2009, “Off-screen antics cost Cruise”, in Herald-Sun:

A scandal following the airing of the South Park television episode "Trapped in the Closet", which was a satirical parody of Scientology and Scientologist actor Tom Cruise.


vishap

Learned borrowing from Armenian վիշապ (višap).

lbor

(Armenian mythology) a dragon in Armenian mythology closely associated with water


Imperial Stormtrooper

en-noun

Imperial Stormtrooper (plural Imperial Stormtroopers)

There'll be a little bit of the Imperial Stormtrooper thing with the boombox, along with a little bit of casual fingerpicking.

1997, Gerrie Lim, Inside the outsider: a decade of shooting the pop culture breeeze, ^([sic]) page 31:

The young policeman had given up on playing the Imperial Stormtrooper and had sat down, loosening the strap on his semi-automatic so that it lay across his lap under the dismal tabloid.

2002, Christopher Brookmyre, Country of the Blind, page 87:

The security guards in Imperial Stormtrooper body armour, better armed than any police, were not much impressed by my warrant card […]

2003, Paul McAuley, Whole Wide World, page 66:

A member of a fictional corps of authoritarian, armor-clad soldiers in the Star Wars universe.


M/S

(nautical) Initialism of motor ship. – a ship propelled by an internal combustion engine, such as a diesel engine, in contrast to sailing ships and steamships


M/S

Initialism from the names Mulder and Scully.

I am a M/S 'Shipper from my brown roots to my red toenails, but PMP was in NO WAY "Shippey."

1997 December 2, Gertie "the Bimbo" Beth, “PMP Fantasy (see the ep for what it really is...)”, in alt.tv.x-files (Usenet):

Does this mean that I'm going to be getting spoiled on M/S fic from you as well now? :-D

1998 June 22, StarGzrCMC, “Re: NEW: Heaven Is Here (movie fic) 01/01”, in alt.tv.x-files.creative (Usenet):

Ok, being a M/S shipper is kinda hard now without Mulder around.

2001 December 8, Jewlz!, “Re: XF Controversies”, in alt.tv.x-files (Usenet):

(fandom slang) The ship of characters Fox Mulder and Dana Scully from the television series The X-Files.


MMC

Montreal Metropolitan Community
Montreal Metropolitan Community#English

(government) Initialism of Montreal Metropolitan Community.


MMC

MMC (countable and uncountable, plural MMCs)

(electronics) Initialism of multimedia card.

Coordinate term: FMC

Twister works on multiple levels and while I can make a sound case it’s a romance (based on the genre definition—the story focuses on the MMC and FMC and their relationship and ends with an HFN) the underlying framework is that of a road trip.

2022 June 22, Lesli Richardson [pseudonym; Tymber Dalton], “Road Trip!”, in Blow Shit Up! A Guide to Method, Mayhem, Madness, and Magic for Writers Stuck in a Rut, →ISBN, part IV (Now Push the Plunger), “Actions & Consequences” section:

The MMC of the current story is with his best friend at the local bar talking about his problems with the current FMC.

2024 March 19, Sadie B. King, “How to Create a Binge-worthy Series”, in Writing Short Romance for Pleasure and Profit: How I Became a Six-Figure Author Writing Short Romance, →ISBN, step 2 (Plan like a Pro):

We love a morally grey MMC [male main character] who’s a complete fucking asshole with a giant dick and turns into a teddy bear […] by the time they’re finally get together, you’re like, oh thank fuck.

2024 summer, Tuva Haglund, quoting a TikTok user, “Enkelsängar, äkta fiendskap och oplanerade graviditeter: Bruket av troper bland Booktoks romanceläsare: Bruket av troper bland Booktoks romanceläsare”, in Passage, volume 39, number 91 (overall work in Swedish), Aarhus: Aarhus Universitetsforlag, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 109:

The MMC—that stands for male main character—is in an argument with the FMC.

2024 October 9, Laurelin Paige, “Adly”, in Brutal Bargain (Brutal Billionaires; 4), [Leander, Tex.]: Paige Press, →ISBN:

The MMC (male main character) is the definition of “if he wanted to he would” — we see a man who is thoughtful, caring, and understanding. […] A+ chemistry between the MMC and FMC (female main character).

2024 December 20, Angela Tricarico, quoting Marissa and Obebe, “The 17 best contemporary romance novels of 2024, per avid romance readers”, in New York Post, New York, N.Y.: News Corp, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2024-12-21:

(romance fiction) Initialism of male main character.


galaxywide

From galaxy + -wide. Coined by American science fiction author Isaac Asimov in 1940 in the form "galaxy-wide".

coin

I immediately assigned an all-out search, Galaxywide.

1949 January, Henry Kuttner, “Time Axis”, in Startling Stories, volume 18, number 3, page 50:

Critics on both sides of what rapidly became a Galaxywide controversy were forced, however, to acknowledge the magnificent playing of the Student Orchestra and its great technical attainments.

1959 June, Larry M. Harris, “Extracts from the Galactick Almanack”, in Galaxy, volume 17, number 5, page 136:

Protoculture supply was dwindling, the galaxywide war running down like clockwork as both sides' resources and infrastructures declined.

1989, Jack McKinney, The End of the Circle, →ISBN, page 203:


scolopendra

From Latin scolopendra, from Ancient Greek σκολόπενδρα (skolópendra).

Spring-headed Hydraes, and sea-shouldring Whales, / Great whirlpooles, which all fishes make to flee, / Bright Scolopendraes, arm'd with siluer scales, / Mighty Monoceroses, with immeasured tayles.

1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto XII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:

(obsolete) A mythical sea-creature, reputed to be able to disgorge its bowels to dislodge any fishing-hook.

This led the conversation to the insects of the Crimea and Ukraine, of which I had made a considerable collection, and the Emperor inquired of me if there were scorpions, scolopendras and tarantulas in the Crimea.

1845 November 13, The Eclectic Magazine, volume 6, page 352:


timescape

From time + -scape, probably by analogy with landscape.

Back to the Future
DeLorean DMC-12
San Diego Comic-Con

timescape n. time conceived of, or perceived as, possessing multiple dimensions.

[2007, “timescape”, in Jeff Prucher, editor, Brave New Words: The Oxford Dictionary of Science Fiction, New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 241:

My awareness extended beyond human memory and I drifted, lost in the crevices of the now visible Timescape. Then a point of light beckoned me and I strove for it. The light became the memory of my personality and I dove into it. I swirled in an ever-tightening spiral. I was all eight of my great-grand parents, I was both of my grandfathers and both of my grandmothers, I was my mother and my father and, finally, I was Jonathan Crowe again and I could now reflect upon what had been done to me.

2008 April 17, Jefferson R. Weekley, “The Pool of Blood”, in Red Earth, Bloomington, Ind.: AuthorHouse, →ISBN, page 214:

[Mark] Zuckerberg is pursued throughout the timescape by the litigious Winklevoss twins, who operate a time machine bought for them by their daddy. Zuckerberg must constantly leap to and fro throughout the centuries in order to duck summonses.

2011, Travis Harmon, Jonathan Shockley, “Introduction”, in Let There Be Facebook: Status Updates from God, Gaga, and Everyone in between, New York, N.Y.: Touchstone Books, →ISBN, page vii, footnote 2:

(science fiction) A multi-dimensional view of time, especially one in which time travel occurs.


Scroogelike

en-adj

Scroogelike (comparative more Scroogelike, superlative most Scroogelike)

more Scroogelike (comparative)
most Scroogelike (superlative)

Like Ebenezer Scrooge; bad-tempered, selfish and miserly.


omake

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Borrowed from Japanese お負け (omake, “extra, bonus”).

In this omake, the characters are breaking the fourth wall to talk to the audience.

(anime) A special video feature that accompanies an anime, such as a collection of deleted scenes or outtakes.

(manga) Additional material to the main series added to the tankobon edition of a manga.


OEL

My Dead Girlfriend is one of the best OEL manga ever.

(attributive, of manga, anime, visual novels) Initialism of original English-language: Manga-, anime-style media originally published in English; (loosely, by extension) Any non-Japanese media which features a manga or anime style.


chantefable

From French chantefable (from chanter (“to sing”) + fable (“story”)).

bor

A form of Medieval French literature with alternative spoken and sung passages.


afanc

(Celtic mythology, mythology) A lake monster in Welsh mythology, described variously as resembling a crocodile, beaver or dwarf-like creature, and sometimes said to be a demon.


SCP

(genre): An initialism of special containment procedures. Not an initialism of the SCP Foundation’s motto, secure, contain, protect, which is a backronym from SCP.

init

SCP Breakout is an SCP experience based on the horror genre of the same title.

If you start reading or just heard about SCP and the writing community. This is the book to start reading.

2021, Grace Anderson Wilson, Terrifying SCP Horror Stories:

(fandom slang) A genre of science fiction horror consisting of quasi-scientific reports on the capture, containment, and attempted study of a variety of supernatural entities by the fictional shadow organization known as the SCP Foundation.


shuttlecraft

en-noun

shuttlecraft (plural shuttlecrafts or shuttlecraft)

shuttlecrafts (plural)
shuttlecraft (plural)

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A relatively small spacecraft, usually capable of atmospheric transport.


Ringer

Readers flocked online to articulate their angst, discovering 400 websites where "Ringers" congregated to converse in Quenya – one of Tolkien's fictional languages – and discuss such burning issues as whether elves have pointy ears.

2001 November 10, Kathy Marks, “The campaign for real Tolkien”, in The Independent:

One Ringer travels all over and takes pictures of her "Lord of the Rings" figurines.

2005 January 27, Jody Genessy, “Slamdance gets infusion of 'Lord of Rings' mania”, in Deseret News:

Trekkers, Whovians and Ringers were out in force over the weekend as sci-fi and fantasy fans descended on Cardiff for the city's Film and Comic Convention.

2014 March 3, Mark Smith, “Sci-fi fans trek to city for Comic Con”, in South Wales Echo:

(fandom slang) A fan of the novel The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien and/or the film trilogy based on it.


spy-fi

With the MIB taking on aliens of every stripe, it can also be viewed as a parody of The X-Files and the spy-fi series that rose to prominence in the 1990s.

2005, Wesley Alan Britton, Beyond Bond: spies in fiction and film:

Perhaps the series had finally gone over the top, taking spy-fi to the limit. What next—007 fighting alien invaders?

2006, Wesley Alan Britton, Onscreen and undercover: the ultimate book of movie espionage:

(informal) A genre of science fiction involving secret agents.


bibliomystery

Marco Page's Fast Company is probably an early example of the bibliomystery in English (the first ever bibliomystery is from 1874: Scrope, or, The Lost Library by Frederic Perkins, followed by The Colfax Bookplate, 1926, by Agness Miller) while the movie adaptation of Fast Company is most likely the first bibliomystery in cinema.

2010, Pradeep Sebastian, The Groaning Shelf, Hachette UK, →ISBN:

A genre of mystery novels which have books as the central theme of the plot.


noncon

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Coordinate term: dubcon

(chiefly fandom slang) Erotica featuring non-consensual sexual situations such as rape, mind control, or somnophilia.


dubcon

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Clipping of dubious consent, modelled after noncon.

Coordinate term: noncon

(chiefly fandom slang) Erotica featuring sexual relations where the presence of sexual consent is unclear.


mysteriarch

/mɪsˈtɪəɹiˌɑː(ɹ)k/

Borrowed from Ecclesiastical Latin mystēriarchēs (“one who presides over Christian sacraments”), from Ancient Greek μυστηριάρχης (mustēriárkhēs, “one who rules over religious mysteries”), from μυστήριον (mustḗrion) + -άρχης (-árkhēs), corresponding to mystery + -arch.

der

μυστηριάρχης

suffix

It cannot be said that the place ever adequately gratified the sense of mystery it excited; but, after all, to excite the sense of mystery is perhaps better than to gratify it, and, considering its poor material, this room was quite a clever old mysteriarch.

1899, Richard Le Gallienne, Young Lives:

(obsolete outside of fantasy) One who rules over mysteries.


rogues' gallery

en-noun

rogues' gallery (plural rogues' galleries)

From rogue + gallery. Popularized by American detectives Allan Pinkerton and Thomas F. Byrnes.

(fiction) The set of supervillains associated with a particular superhero or comic book title.


dementor

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From dement + -or. Repopularized by the Harry Potter series.

[…] and by which a certain Rabbi, who was once annoyed by a demon that came to him in the shape of a woman, got rid of his dementor.

1850, A pilgrimage to the land of my fathers, page 423:

[…] it was protection against the anorexic dementor standing in front of me.

2008, The Godmother, Carrie Adams, page 242:

Diana needed to reconcile the Alric of now who pressed warm kisses to her temple, who touched her with such gentleness and showed her that he would protect her with his life, with the rage-filled dementor of her nightmares, the Alric she feared was still under the surface.

2009, Dark Immortal, J.K. Coi, page 172:


astrogation

If astrogation were that simple any sophomore could pilot a rocket ship […]

1958, Robert A. Heinlein, chapter 7, in Have Space Suit, Will Travel, New York: Del Rey:

(science fiction) Astronavigation (navigation through space).


superdeformed

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(anime, manga) Alternative form of super deformed (“drawn in an exaggerated way, typically small and chubby, with stubby limbs and oversized heads”).


derg

Mutated clipping of dragon, possibly by insertion of a neutral vowel given textual abbreviation "drg."

(furry fandom, endearing, chiefly Internet slang) A dragon.


weeaboo

Bulgarian: уийб (uijb)

Indonesian: wibu

Polish: łibus

A nonce word in "Weeaboo", a 2005 Perry Bible Fellowship comic by Nicholas Gurewitch, used later that year as a wordfilter replacement for the abusive term wapanese on the message board 4chan, from which its current sense derived and spread. Now sometimes reclaimed as a self-description by anime and manga fans.

(fandom slang, sometimes positive) A person who is obsessively interested in anime, manga or Japanese culture more generally.


eat my shorts

/ˈiːt maɪ ˈʃɔːɹts/

Popularized by the TV series The Simpsons (1989), where it is a catchphrase of Bart Simpson.

Notre Dame boys greeted one another with "Eat It" to be answered by "Eat It Raw" or "Eat a Big One" or "Eat My Shorts," sometimes "Eat My Crusty Shorts."

[1977, James P. Leary, The Boys from the Dome […] , page 69:

Mickey: You could be the biggest fairy of them all!
Meat: Eat my shorts!

1983, Roger Swaybill, Alan Ormsby, Bob Clark, Porky's II: The Next Day (motion picture):

Richard Vernon: You're not fooling anyone, Bender. The next screw that falls out will be you.
 John Bender: Eat my shorts.
Richard Vernon: What was that?
John Bender: Eat... My... Shorts.

1985, John Hughes, The Breakfast Club (motion picture):

Her eyes are telling me, "Eat my shorts, you precocious little fart." I definitely haven't made a friend.

1988, Greg Matthews, The Gold Flake Hydrant, page 232:

For instance, Bart often expresses his irreverence toward authority on "The Simpsons" by exclaiming "Eat my shorts."

[1996, Douglas Rushkoff, Media Virus! […] , page 186:

(idiomatic, chiefly US, vulgar) An irreverent rebuke or dismissal.


El Dorado

From Spanish el dorado (“the golden one”).

A city, the county seat of Butler County, Kansas, United States.


retrocausality

retrocausality (usually uncountable, plural retrocausalities)

(physics) Any of several hypothetical phenomena that reverse causality, allowing an effect to occur before its cause.


telepathize

en-verb

telepathize (third-person singular simple present telepathizes, present participle telepathizing, simple past and past participle telepathized)

telepathizes (present singular third-person)
telepathizing (participle present)
telepathized (participle past)
telepathized (past)

It does not seem to make sense to speak of learning to telepathize.

1962, W. I. Matson, “Against Induction and Empiricism,”, in Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society, volume 62, page 152:

(intransitive, parapsychology) To engage in telepathic communication.


Mimantean

From Ancient Greek Μῑμάντος (Mīmántos), genitive case of Μίμᾱς (Mímās), from earlier Μίμανς (Mímans).

I went back to the grind of reviewing that day's Cassini photographs. Imagine my shock when I noticed that Mimas, one of the inner moons of Saturn, had acquired a concave depression in it since the last fly-by! Of course, I immediately realized that the Mimanteans had constructed a fully armed and operational Death Star!

2010 February 19, Hulles, “Mimas!”, in sardonic postmodern humor:

(fiction) An inhabitant of the Saturnian moon Mimas


ARG

alternate reality game
alternate reality game#English


MSR

Mars Sample Return mission
w:Mars sample return mission

(space science, US, NASA) Initialism of Mars Sample Return mission.

Although I regard this as a romantic piece, it's not an MSR in the usual sense--our heroes don't ride off into the sunset locked in each other's arms.

1997 April 12, Loch Ness [username], “Letters of Transit (0/14) By Loch Ness”, in alt.tv.x-files.creative (Usenet):

I'm writing an MSR (big surprise there) and I have a scene where M&S do a nice, sensuous slow dance.

2000 March 5, Tim Scott, “Research assistance request”, in alt.tv.x-files.creative (Usenet):

In the last couple of years, it seems like the vast majority of stories posted are MSRs. You rarely see a slash story posted here anymore.

2001 August 4, Circe, “Re: xfc: XFC content changes”, in alt.tv.x-files.creative (Usenet):

(countable, X-Files fandom slang) Mulder/Scully romance; a fanfic involving a romantic relationship between the characters Fox Mulder and Dana Scully of the The X-Files.

I am a shipper, and yes, I prefer to read MSR.

2000 May 8, C. E. McLarney, “Re: NEW: "Remotely Controlled" (1/1) by Marguerite”, in alt.tv.x-files.creative (Usenet):

Although I read MSR occasionally (and at one time did exclusively) the minute I discovered slash I was hooked.

2003 April 14, pjay [username], “slash”, in alt.tv.x-files.creative (Usenet):

Made me want to read MSR again, and I thought I'd finally kicked that habit.

2006 June 12, jzjenn [username], “Paula Graves News”, in alt.tv.x-files.creative (Usenet):

(uncountable, fandom slang) Such fan fiction collectively.


superability

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But if I was cheered at the superability of the moral obstacle, I quailed before the intellectual and educational test […]

1912, George Tyrrell, Maude Dominica Petre, Autobiography and life of George Tyrrell:

superableness; the ability of an obstacle to be overcome.


BL

From Japanese BL(ビーエル) (bīeru), from ボーイズラブ (bōizu rabu), from English boys + love.

Initialism of boys' love (“yaoi media”).


vampirelike

en-adj

vampirelike (comparative more vampirelike, superlative most vampirelike)

more vampirelike (comparative)
most vampirelike (superlative)

Resembling or characteristic of a vampire.


vampiresque

vampiresque (comparative more vampiresque, superlative most vampiresque)

more vampiresque (comparative)
most vampiresque (superlative)


hoverchair

He touched the controller hanging from the belt around his waist. His hoverchair rose in the corner and glided over to him, positioning itself at his side.

2005, Gregory Bernard Banks, Phoenix Tales: Stories of Death and Life:

He built his first hoverchair all by himself out of scavenged parts when he was only eight! And ever since, he's continued to upgrade it.

(chiefly science fiction) A chair that levitates.


bishonen

Borrowed from Japanese 美少年 (bishōnen びしょうねん), from Middle Chinese 美 (mˠiɪ^X, “beautiful”) + 少年 (ɕiᴇuᴴ nen, “teenaged boy”) (compare Mandarin 少年 (shàonián)).

bor

bishōnen びしょうねん

Incidentally, I'm not sure you're bucking the trend so much as going along with it; FTM crossplay is getting pretty popular, although you see more women going for bishounen and visual-kei genderfucky stars than anything else.

2001 May 22, Wednesday, “Re: 'There are only 500 REAL anime fans in the UK'”, in uk.media.animation.anime (Usenet), message-ID <-6y*A5OWo@news.chiark.greenend.org.uk>:

An Asian aesthetic of young men whose beauty (and sex appeal) transcends the boundary of gender or sexual orientation, found in manga, etc.


break the fourth wall

en-verb

break the fourth wall (third-person singular simple present breaks the fourth wall, present participle breaking the fourth wall, simple past broke the fourth wall, past participle broken the fourth wall)

breaks the fourth wall (present singular third-person)
breaking the fourth wall (participle present)
broke the fourth wall (past)
broken the fourth wall (participle past)

(idiomatic, fiction) To apparently communicate with reality directly, such as when characters of literature comment on the existence of a reader.

rompi la kvaran muron

direct communication with the viewer or reader


mermaiden

From Middle English meremaiden (“mermaid”), from mere (“mere, sea”) + maiden (“maiden”), equivalent to mer- + maiden. Compare Old English meremennen (“mermaid, siren”). More at mere, maiden.

cog

The Neck here his harp in the glass-castle plays,
And Mermaidens comb out their green hair always,
And bleach here their shining white clothes.

1850, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, London: H.G. Bohn, page 156:

A mermaid; a maiden of the sea; a siren.


Casanova

From Romance Casanova (Spanish Casanova, Italian Casanova, Catalan Casanova). From casa (house) + nova (new). Literally, “new house”.

gloss

A surname from the Romance languages, equivalent to English Newhouse.


leprechology

(rare) Alternative form of leprechaunology


Tiamat

Learned borrowing from Akkadian 𒀀𒀊𒁀 (tiāmtum, “sea; a deity”), from Proto-Semitic *tihām- (“sea”).

lbor

(mythology) A Babylonian goddess who personifies the sea, considered the monstrous embodiment of primordial chaos.

Sitchin also tells us Mummu was the planet Mercury - "One Who Was Born," and that Tiamat was an earlier Earth.

2003, Albert T Clay, Paul Tice, Atrahasis: An Ancient Hebrew Deluge Story:

(in the works of Zecharia Sitchin) A supposed planet once located between Mars and Jupiter.


Moriarty

From Irish Ó Muircheartaigh (“descendant of Muircheartach”), a name from muir (“sea”) + ceardaí (“craftsman”).

der

The town of Twin peaks, suddenly not energised by its mammary setting, is narrated as a large chess board on which the action is completely defined by the competing logic of Dale Cooper and his Moriarty-like nemesis, Windom Earle.

1997, Martha Nochimson, The passion of David Lynch: wild at heart in Hollywood:

Professor James Moriarty, fictional archenemy and nemesis of Sherlock Holmes; by extension any such archenemy or nemesis.


hobbity

en-adj

hobbity (comparative more hobbity, superlative most hobbity)

more hobbity (comparative)
most hobbity (superlative)

A patch of sidewalk scarlet with spat paan, two hobbity toe-haired toes flexing up-chappal in mid-wade.

2003, Tanuja Desai Hidier, Born Confused:

A hobbity man wearing green boots appeared on the television screen across the room.

2004, Marybeth Bond, A Woman's Europe: True Stories:


Narnian

An inhabitant of the fictional land of Narnia.


ghosty

ghosty (comparative ghostier, superlative ghostiest)

ghostier (comparative)
ghostiest (superlative)

From ghost + -y. Compare Saterland Frisian gäistich, West Frisian geastich, Dutch geestig, German geistig.

Regarding Glamis, I should imagine it a ghosty sort of place.

1881, William White, Notes and queries, Volume 63:


orkish

orkish (comparative more orkish, superlative most orkish)

more orkish (comparative)
most orkish (superlative)

Variant of orcish. Popularized by J. R. R. Tolkien in The Lord of the Rings.

He grimaced in an orkish manner.

(fantasy) Of, pertaining to, or sharing similarities with an orc.

órquico

of, pertaining to, or sharing similarities with an orc


decloak

en-verb

decloak (third-person singular simple present decloaks, present participle decloaking, simple past and past participle decloaked)

decloaks (present singular third-person)
decloaking (participle present)
decloaked (participle past)
decloaked (past)

(intransitive, science fiction) To become visible again by turning off a cloaking device


multiship

multiship (third-person singular simple present multiships, present participle multishipping, simple past and past participle multishipped)

multiships (present singular third-person)
multishipping (participle present)
multishipped (participle past)
multishipped (past)

Though I do have a habit of picking a lady chara and multishipping her. Especially hermione. 💁♀

2020 July 2, Emlyn (@evilmaid_), Twitter:

As someone who multiships Chaggie and Charlastor. You guys fighting in the tags is annoying the hell out of me. Please stop using the tags. 😒

2021 February 18, ObsessedKatie (@ObsessedKatie), Twitter:

There’s a reason Sakura is multishipped so much and it’s bc she had interactions/development with almost the entire cast

2021 March 26, @uchihassasusaku, Twitter:

(fandom slang) To ship multiple pairings in the same fandom, especially ones featuring the same character.


medician

During the Second Epoch, Tombilly, Chief of Ban Rona in the Green Hollows, fell ill to a malady for which the medicians of the Hollows could find no cure.

2008, Andrew Peterson, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness:

We have also the target of obtaining a good ontological description that allows a better use of CBR techniques to aid medicians in diagnostic accuracy.

2008, R. Nicholas et al., Identification of Relevant Knowledge for Characterizing the Melanoma Domain, in the report of the 2nd International Workshop on Practical Applications of Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, page 58

(chiefly in science fiction) A physician, a medical doctor; a medic.


court jester

A person in colorful garb and fool's cap who amused a medieval and early modern royal or noble court.


vampirise

vampirise (third-person singular simple present vampirises, present participle vampirising, simple past and past participle vampirised)

vampirises (present singular third-person)
vampirising (participle present)
vampirised (participle past)
vampirised (past)


Anunnaki

Annunaki

lizard people; corrupted spelling, mostly restricted to the sense

(Mesopotamian mythology) A group of Sumerian, Akkadian and Babylonian deities in no known particular order including but not limited to Enki, Enlil, Ninlil and 'known as the fourth' Enbilulu.

Anunnaki

a group of Sumerian, Akkadian and Babylonian deities

conspiracy theories
conspiracy theory#Noun

(conspiracy theories) An extraterrestrial reptilian race supposed to originate from a hidden planet called "Niburu", thought to be the overlords of a secret world government and equated with the Nephilim by conspiracy theorists.


cloner

(science fiction) A device capable of duplicating physical objects.


snikt

[Wolverine:] It seems you didn't get my meaning, friend.
[Wolverine:] This is still a free country, isn't it?
[sound effect:] SNIKT!

1975 May, Len Wein (writer), Dave Cockrum (illustrator), John Costanza (letterer), “Second Genesis!”, in Giant-Size X-Men, number 1, page 8:

Hasbro kicks off the convention with a snikt!

2009 February 15, Scott Collura, “Toy Fair 09: Wolverine, Iron Man, and Spectacular Spidey”, in IGN:

However, there’s a lot more to this grisly Canuck’s story than just the “snikt” sound effect.

2018 July 25, Peyton Hinckle, “Snikt To The Man: All Of Wolverine’s Abilities, Officially Ranked”, in CBR.com:

(onomatopoeia, fandom slang) The sound of Wolverine's claws emerging.


Dalek voice

After the Daleks on the British science-fiction programme Doctor Who, where they spoke with an electronically modulated voice.

Burk replied in his husky Dalek voice without looking at the King but also without any trepidation: 'I was christened Herbert Burk.'

1982, Jakov Lind, Travels to the Enu: Story of a Shipwreck, page 60:

And it was something just to have it to look forward to, to think about instead of thinking about the Dalek voice. I have your notebook.

1984, Eileen Dewhurst, The House that Jack Built, page 40:

[…]eyes and a Dalek voice, and its dreadful polished face keeps swivelling towards me; it is an iron Archie Andrews, but I do not have to make it speak.

"Now press button A," a Dalek voice tells someone who is trying to set the video recorder to tape a TV programme for later viewing.

Sometimes one seems to hear it being read out by a dalek-voice

1994, Buddhist Society (London, England), The Middle Way, volumes 69-70, page 120

You know, this Dalek voice says, "The-bonnet's-open, you-are-low-on-fuel, the-engine-tem-perature-is-high, we're-not-going-to-make-it-on-this-one-Nick, we'll-be-walking-after-this-corner."

1997, Bruno MacDonald, Pink Floyd: through the eyes of...the band, its fans, friends, and foes, page 310:

Many questions were literary concoctions, edited from conversation into rather stiff print (One review referred to our 'Dalek voice'.)

1998, Fred Inglis, Raymond Williams, page 260:

Hawkins was to have a device implanted in his throat to help him speak in a 'strange Dalek voice ', as his wife put it, but the operation gave him another seven years of life.

2004, Graham Lord, Niv: the authorized biography of David Niven, page 240:

Is your name Oscar Lois Anderson?' Her Dalek voice echoed eerily through the black emptiness of the warehouse.

2005, P. D. Shelley, Sugar and Spice, page 171:

'This is she,' said the Dalek voice. 'Good evening,' said Tudor, 'it's Tudor Cornwall, University of Wessex.'

2005, Tim Heald, Death and the D'Urbervilles, page 244:

The Dalek voice isn't just for Dr Who fans as it can be used in place of a vocoder to produce more metallic style voices that are suitable for use in any dance genre.

2008, Rick Snoman, Dance Music Manual: Tools, Toys and Techniques, page 121:

A harsh, throaty, staccato, monotone voice.


absent-minded professor

en-noun

absent-minded professor (plural absent-minded professors)

Snapshot: Jimmy, a third-grader, is an absent-minded professor before his time. He forgets everything, from his lunch box in the morning, to his raincoat

1997, Edward M. Hallowell, When You Worry About the Child You Love, page 38:

Judith: I call Jim "The Ditz" when he is the absent-minded professor.

2003, Judith Sherven with James Sniechowski, Be Loved for Who You Really Are, page 172:

... a dreamy youth whose siblings teased him for being an absent-minded professor.

2005, Amy Demorest, Psychology's grand theorists: how personal experiences shaped professional ideas, page 174:

Professor Oak, the world's leading Pokémon expert, is at once a genius and a bumbling, absent-minded professor

2009, Mark I. West, The Japanification of children's popular culture: from godzilla to miyazaki, page 59:

“My brother, the absent-minded professor,” she said, motioning to me with her thumb. “Don't you know why that date looks familiar, silly?

2009, Mitchell Graham, Dead Docket, page 274:

(by extension) A person who tends to be oblivious to reality.


game master

(roleplaying games) A person conducting a role-playing game, generally responsible for controlling all beings and processes other than the players, either individually or as part of a team.


dungeon master

He shrugged helplessly. "Whenever we've played before, it was so orderly: people would get their turns one by one, then the dungeon master would say what the results were, then we'd take another turn . . . but this way . . ." He shook his head.

1991, Vivian Vande Velde, User Unfriendly, page 48:

Nicholas and his black-masked companions waited with feet planted apart as the dungeon master fumbled for his key ring.

1998, Nora Roberts, Jill Gregory, R.C. Ryan, Marianne Willman, Once Upon a Castle, page 147:

A few of the boys became really good dungeon masters, and they all learned a lot about percentages and chance and stuff that I just couldn't grasp.

1999, Maureen Cassidy Quackebush, “Real Magic”, in Donna Steichen, editor, Prodigal Daughters: Catholic Women Come Home to the Church, page 82:

They give up a great deal in dispensing with the custom-tailored, high storytelling craft of our new age Dungeon Masters. Nevertheless, they anticipate and lead the way for the automated Dungeon Master, white cell, and automated story generation of the future. Nevertheless, while the creation of the automated Dungeon Master is a great research problem, for those constructing simulations that are not purely research oriented, it's clear that participants learn more when a live instructor or game manager is built into the system.

2006, Nicholas V. Iuppa, Terry Borst, Story and Simulations for Serious Games: Tales from the Trenches, page 118:

Marco is a paladin. He fights for the glory of Christ. Marco has been many paladins since winter break. They are all named Valentine, and the Dungeon Master makes certain they die with the least possible amount of dignity.

2011, Sam Lipsyte, “The Dungeon Master”, in Geraldine Brooks, Heidi Pitlor, editors, The Best American Short Stories: 2011, unnumbered page:

(roleplaying games) A game master in Dungeons & Dragons games.


PHB

After the character in Scott Adams' Dilbert comic strip.

I know this. Which is why I use it. However proving it to my PHB is a diffrent ^([sic]) matter :-)

2001, John Imrie, “my variables in foreach loops”, in comp.lang.perl.moderated (Usenet):

[…] identically dressed in blue three-piece suits, hung around accosting visitors with annoyingly impenetrable PHB marketroid jargon […]

2002, Gardner Dozois, Supermen: Tales of the Posthuman Future:

(slang, derogatory) Initialism of pointy-haired boss, an incompetent micromanager.


winged monkeys

Metaphorical reference to the literal winged monkeys that appear as the minions of the Wicked Witch of the West in the 1900 children’s novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: winged + monkeys.

(plural only, chiefly ironic or humorous) Ominous pawns of evil forces.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Wicked Witch of the West


first contact

first contact (usually uncountable, plural first contacts)

Humanity’s first contact with an alien race occurred in 2157. At that time, the Alliance allowed survey fleets to activate any dormant mass relays discovered, a practice considered dangerous and irresponsible by Council-aligned races. When a turian patrol discovered a human fleet attempting to activate a relay, they attacked. One human vessel survived, retreating to the colony of Shanxi.

2008, BioWare, Mass Effect, Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: First Contact War Codex entry:

(science fiction) The first meeting between humans and extraterrestrials.


von Neumann machine

von Neumann machine (plural von Neumann machines)

For John von Neumann, Hungarian mathematician

(science fiction) Any machine that is capable of self-replication.


Spidey-sense

From the superpower of the fictional character Spider-Man (introduced by Marvel Comics in August 1962), nicknamed Spidey, who is able to preternaturally sense danger before it can be perceived by other senses.

Having known the man for most of his life he had a certain Spidey-sense when it came to Tim’s problems.

2003, Matthew F. Winn, chapter 1, in The Sandman, College Station, Tex.: Virtualbookworm.com Publishing, →ISBN, page 5:

Abby, let me ask you this: Is your spidey sense sure Alison was killed by a man? Your other clues were that 'he' was short, wore oversized clothing, and had dark hair. What if Alison was killed by a butch-looking female?

2004 December, Victoria Laurie, Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye (A Psychic Eye Mystery), New York, N.Y.: Signet, New American Library, →ISBN:

But the sports media elite, eating free press box sushi while the rest of us are paying $9.00 for a hot dog, could never understand what set our collective spidey senses tingling.

2005, Dave Zirin, “Stir of Echoes: A New Sporting Resistance?”, in What’s My Name, Fool?: Sports and Resistance in the United States, Chicago, Ill.: Haymarket Books, →ISBN, page 259:

Don't settle for taking the world at face value. Too many people see a logo or a uniform and make bad assumptions. If your Spidey-sense tells you something's wrong, it probably is. If you don't have Spidey-sense, walk loudly and carry a big stick.

2009, “Top Ten Ways to Shut Down Hackers”, in Securing Intellectual Property: Protecting Trade Secrets and Other Information Assets, Burlington, Mass., Oxford, Oxfordshire: Butterworth-Heinemann; Syngress, →ISBN, page 153:

A sense of foreboding, almost like a Spidey-sense, tingled at the back of my neck.

2010, Tate Hallaway [pseudonym; Lyda Morehouse], Honeymoon of the Dead, New York, N.Y.: Berkley Books, →ISBN:

As I turn to the right to get to the Registration Desk, my spidey senses are starting to warn me. There's nothing I can see that is cause for immediate concern, but I know I've got to keep paying attention to those spidey senses. I know they've saved me in the past.

2018 March 10, Brad Bagwell, chapter 1, in The Hunter: Southeast Asia, Ishpeming, Mich.: BookVenture Publishing, →ISBN, page 3:

While we are all enticed by the roller-coaster ride that will come with owning a 21-year-old Ronald Acuna, most of our spidey-senses tell us that a safe player in the first round allows us to survive six months of injuries and ineffectiveness from some of our subsequent picks.

2019 February 27, Fred Zinkie, “Ranking the Safest First-round Picks in Fantasy Baseball Drafts”, in Yahoo! Sports, archived from the original on 2019-03-18:

(humorous) An intuitive feeling, usually of something being dangerous or risky; (more generally) instinct, intuition.


magical girl

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-magical girl.wav

Calque of Japanese 魔法少女 (まほうしょうじょ, mahō shōjo).

calque

まほうしょうじょ, mahō shōjo

The magical girl starts out as a typical schoolgirl. Her transformation—via a glamorous costume, and amplified by special powers—gives her a new identity.

2013, Christopher Hart, Magical Characters, Watson-Guptill Publications, →ISBN, page 17:

Contrary to conventional magical girl anime, in which protagonists happily accept their superpower, shōjo heroines are reluctant to become Magical Girls in Puella Magi Madoka Magica.

2014, Lien Fan Shen, “The Dark, Twisted Magical Girls: Shōjo Heroines in Puella Magi Madoka Magica”, in Norma Jones, Maja Bajac-Carter, Bob Batchelor, editors, Heroines of Film and Television: Portrayals in Popular Culture, Rowman & Littlefield, →ISBN, page 183:

The magical girl genre was originally aimed at girls: series like Sailor Moon were first serialized in shōjo manga (girls' comics) magazines and contained many traits common to that genre.

2015, Deborah Shamoon, “The Superflat Space of Japanese Anime”, in Lilian Chee, Edna Lim, editors, Asian Cinema and the Use of Space: Interdisciplinary Perspectives, Routledge, →ISBN, page 98:

In Japanese anime and manga, a young girl with superhuman abilities who is called upon to fight evil.

девочка-волшебница f (devochka-volshebnitsa, literally “a girl wizard”)

девушка-волшебница f (devushka-volshebnitsa, literally “a young woman wizard”)


worldbuilding

The purpose of worldbuilding isn't just to do a cool exercise, but to give a sense of place — and all of your thought experiments absolutely have to result in something vivid and alive.

2013 February 8, Charlie Jane Anders, “7 Deadly Sins of Worldbuilding”, in io9, archived from the original on 2016-11-25:

High fantasy of the George RR Martin kind hinges on world-building. When there really is a whole world to build, and not just a historical period or a particular country, world-building does not take a few paragraphs in a short story; it takes chapters.

2015 May 20, Natasha Pulley, “Fantasy cannot build its imaginary worlds in short fiction”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:

(fiction) The conception and description of a fictional world, often as the setting of a work of fiction, particularly in speculative fiction.

աշխարհկառուցում

act or process of building of a fictional world


Cartman

Eric Cartman, a fictional character from the animated sitcom South Park.


Erewhonian

From Erewhon + -ian: the country's name is an approximate reversal of nowhere, from the novel Erewhon (1872) by Samuel Butler.

I've never heard of him. What sort of name is that for an Erewhonian?

2004, Laraine Anne Barker, The Obsidian Quest, page 101:

If so, my own history itself is the history of an average Erewhonian!

2009, Alexander Raju, The Haunted Man: A Novel, page 18:

If an Erewhonian plays his role as a martyr with a smile, it is through metaphysical agility.

2017, William Shurtleff, Akiko Aoyagi, History of Macrobiotics (1715-2017):

An inhabitant of the fictional land of Erewhon.


Eurabia

/jʊəˈɹeɪbiə/

Moreover, the fear of an emerging "Eurabia" ignores the vast economic and cultural differences between immigrant populations in the different European countries...

2006, Hent de Vries, Lawrence Eugene Sullivan, Political theologies: public religions in a post-secular world:

Among those who connect the unfolding of Eurabia with a popular reaction that might bring back fascism to Europe is Canadian columnist Mark Steyn.

2007, José Pedro Zúquete, Missionary politics in contemporary Europe:

Cultural Islam and the myth of Eurabia

2008, Olivier Roy, The politics of chaos in the Middle East:

(derogatory) A supposed future, Islamized Europe.


OOC

en-adj

OOC (comparative more OOC, superlative most OOC)

more OOC (comparative)
most OOC (superlative)

Even then, some of the characters were pretty OOC (though I suppose that could be explained by the "magical effect" of the onions).

2000 February 25, azirok [username], “Re: [Ranma][FanFic] Kuno Finds Out?”, in rec.arts.anime.fandom (Usenet):

It'd be OOC if Vejita^([sic]) weeped^([sic]) upon seeing Goku die at the hands of a big cricket thing. Because he saw it in the series and it didn't really bug him.

2001 January 15, Talen [username], “Re: Funimation to aquire^([sic]) Yu Yu Hakusho....”, in alt.fan.dragonball (Usenet):

A lot of them seem to either almost completely remove Harry and co. from the fic and have the new characters doing all the wonderful things that Harry was supposed to do, or they have the characters acting completely OOC.

2002 June 26, PriestesMiaka [username], “Re: Best Crossover fanfics?”, in alt.fan.harry-potter (Usenet):

out of character
out of character#English

(roleplaying games, fandom slang) Initialism of out of character.


gamebook

(UK) A written record of the game that has been shot in a certain area (date, hunter, species, etc.).


roboid

A roboid waiter, human-like but running on hidden casters, paused with a tray of drinks.

1974, Michael Moorcock, The shores of death:

The terrifying thing about all of this is that we now have a distinct possibility that a hive of aliens with their attendant purely biomechanical roboids the Greys, from another part of our universe, are intercepting and intervening in the affairs of our species.

It is their challenge, with the help of Tania, a roboid, to adapt the siblings to their new environment.

2009, Arnold J. Inzko, The Siblings' Legacy:


merboy

When the music stopped, Arista was finally able to excuse herself, but seconds later she was caught up by yet another eager merboy. Over the course of the night, Arista danced with many merboys, […]

1993, Jan Carr, Arista's New Boyfriend, Disney Press, →ISBN, page 19:

"Tell me what was happening in the world when you were a little merboy. Was there television?"

1997, Dick King-Smith, The Merman, Dell Yearling, published 2001, →ISBN, page 69:

He grins like the little merboy who used to dare me to eat sea slugs.

2011, Tera Lynn Childs, Fins Are Forever, Katherine Tegen Books, →ISBN, page 257:


biomonitor

(science fiction) A device that displays a readout of a person's vital signs.


power suit

The crew chief was wearing a bulky exoskeleton power suit that enabled her to manipulate components weighing over a tonne […]

2007, Herbert S. Watson, DK-37, the Flight of Prometheus:

(science fiction) A powered exoskeleton.


fangame

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-fangame.wav

(fandom slang) A video game created by fans of an existing game, and based on it.


autochef

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-autochef.wav

Obediently, the autochef prepares each selection. But father knows that the House Brain, while presently silenced, never forgets and will be sure to prescribe an exhausting workout.

1984, Edward Cornish, Habitats tomorrow: homes and communities in an exciting new era:

Dinner was an elegant five-course meal whipped up on the spur of the moment by the autochef, and afterward Shelly's parents wanted her to watch vids with them.

1999, John Gregory Betancourt, Johnny Zed:

Cupboards, washers, cooking equipment; I stopped myself from adding consoles, autochefs and other basics to the list. This was Earth.

2002, Keith Brooke, Keepers of the Peace:

(science fiction) A machine that prepares and dispenses meals.


meat puppet

In a reversal of McLuhan, "man" becomes the extension of the nanotechnological, a meat puppet run by molecular machines.

I am just not that meat puppet that you have been dealing with on the 'outside. ' He was a second rate bureaucrat working out of some obscure Washington office. His body served me well, as others have for generations.

1995, David F. Gray, The Shepherd's Man, page 340:

Torture those hairless apes with heat-seeking anal probes, turn bystanders into meat-puppet disguises, or abduct humans and lay their office buildings to waste.

2009, The Official Xbox Magazine - Issues 92-95, page 73:

“Well, I'll tell you something. You are not getting your hands on my monster, my greatest creation to date. You will not be using him as your meat puppet.” “You think I'd want this wretched homunculus for a body?” “I right here.” “Oh, no, you have me all wrong. You see, the divine human vessel I wish to inhabit is your own.” “Huh?” “ I beg your pardon?” “Oh, come on, son, you've had your turn. Be a good boy and let your daddy inhabit your flesh.”

2024 November 11, Jake Bender & Zach Dunn, “Laszlo's Father” (22:09 from the start), in What We Do in the Shadows, season 6, episode 6, spoken by Laszlo Cravensworth (Matt Berry):

(science fiction) A body that is controlled by someone or something else.


Rodina

From romanization of Russian ро́дина (ródina, literally “homeland”).


autodestruct

en-verb

autodestruct (third-person singular simple present autodestructs, present participle autodestructing, simple past and past participle autodestructed)

autodestructs (present singular third-person)
autodestructing (participle present)
autodestructed (participle past)
autodestructed (past)

(intransitive, chiefly science fiction) To destroy itself by design (as of a mechanical system).


autodestruct

They won't take any prisoners! Activate the autodestruct!

(chiefly science fiction) A feature of a system whereby it destroys itself.


horror story

The film is based on a horror story by Edgar Allan Poe.

(fiction) A fictional narrative of distressing events.


Skynet

From the Terminator film series, the first of which, The Terminator, premiered in 1984.

In the first two films, Skynet is a colossal piece of hardware, a single unit which contains an artificial intelligence designed to run the US nuclear weapons system, a doomsday computer that becomes aware and destroys humanity. […] It was only through some very fancy footwork that Terminator 2: Judgment Day managed to make it remotely plausible that Skynet had sent a second machine to a later date. Since Skynet is presumably aware of its own origins, this makes the first film marginally less plausible.

2005, Roz Kaveney, “Creation as Product: The Paradox of Franchises”, in From Alien to the Matrix: Reading Science Fiction Film, London: I.B. Tauris, →ISBN, page 125:

Maybe I watched too many Mazinger shows or read too many Yoko Tsuno BDs as a kid and, surely, I think the best way to end […] humanity would be to migrate SkyNet to Windows Vista, but somehow I thought it would be fun.

2012, Cristina Urdiales, “Foreword”, in Collaborative Assistive Robot for Mobility Enhancement (CARMEN): The Bare Necessities: Assisted Wheelchair Navigation and beyond (Intelligent Systems Reference Library; 27), Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag, →DOI, →ISBN, →ISSN:

With the more convoluted Terminator Salvation, the seductive power of the skin job gives way to a constant maze of false seeming, centered on the relationship between John Connor and the part-cyborg Marcus Wright during the post-apocalyptic human fight against Skynet and its various killing machines.

2016, J. P. Telotte, “The Persistence of the Robot”, in Sean Redmond, Leon Marvell, editors, Endangered Science Fiction Film (AFI Film Series), New York, N.Y., Abingdon, Oxon.: Routledge, →ISBN, page 254:

Calpurnia, the Good Sister, the artificial intelligence created by Zephyr Bain, had achieved consciousness and self-awareness. She knew of her existence. She had crossed the line from the predictable and anticipated inevitable model of machine consciousness. However, it should have stopped there. The Skynet model from the Terminator movies didn't really work, because true consciousness was a by-product of chemistry and physical constitution.

2017 April, Jonathan Maberry, chapter 128, in Dogs of War: A Joe Ledger Novel, New York, N.Y.: St. Martin's Press, →ISBN, page 518:

artificial intelligence
artificial intelligence

(science fiction) A distributed artificial intelligence system that is aware of the physical world and acts autonomously through cyborgs and computer control systems.


firebreather

A performer who creates fireballs by breathing a fine mist of fuel over an open flame.

(fantasy) Any creature, such as a dragon, that breathes flame.

Our new boss is a real firebreather!

(colloquial) A verbally aggressive person.


sublight

(science fiction) Alternative spelling of sub-light


superlight

en-adj

superlight (comparative more superlight, superlative most superlight)

more superlight (comparative)
most superlight (superlative)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-superlight.wav

He was now presenting his doctoral thesis, which concerned the physics of superlight travel. Nowadays, it was fast enough to cover the galaxy in days, but it would take years to cross the intergalactic void to the nearest major galaxy.

2008, David Hartline, Galactic Liberty, page 118:

(not comparable) faster-than-light, FTL; Faster than light speed (“c”).


Disney World

From Walt Disney World, a resort in Florida owned by Disney which is home to a group of theme parks.

[…]a sort of Disney World of American history. All the ticket takers and street sweepers and information givers were dressed in period costumes, the women in big aprons and muffin hats, the men in tricornered caps[…]

1989, Bill Bryson, The lost continent: travels in small-town America, page 110:

Somehow one's acceptance into humanity is dependent on the kind of Disney World assumption that differences are only on the surface.

1994, Kumar Rupesinghe, Marcial Rubio Correa, The culture of violence, page 87:

There is no refuge from reality in teaching, no orderly life in a kind of Disney World of the mind where nothing really dangerous ever happens and a predictable good time is had by all.

2000, James Joseph O'Donnell, Avatars of the word: from papyrus to cyberspace, page 144:

(informal, often derogatory) A place resembling the Disney World theme park, often typified by a corporately-designed saccharine cheerfulness.


Chiron

(Greek mythology) An old, wise centaur who served as Achilles' mentor and teacher.

(astronomy, astrology) A centaur (minor planet) and comet-like/asteroid-like object, orbiting between Saturn and Uranus.


eka-protactinium

Extended periodic table
eka-protactinium

unbitrium (Ubt), an unsynthesized chemical element with atomic number 123.


Cererian

/səˈɹɪəɹɪ.ən/

From Latin Cereris, genitive case of Cerēs.

Sprinkled with salt and Cererean grain

1823, William Booth, “Nasidien”, in Flowers of Roman poesy, page 42:

An untilled soil its yearly growth of grain Cererian yields

1878, William Thomas Thornton, “Epode 16”, in Word for word from Horace, page 314:

As a divinity of the earth, Mefitis shows in fact two aspects: cererian, she is goddess of plowing [...], and chthonian

1986, Sarah Iles Johnston, The Journal of Indo-European studies, volume 14, page 44:

We find, for example, at Agnone a "Cererian" Hercules and at Rossano a "Mefitanian" Mamers (= Mars); presumably these two major Italic divinities, Hercules and Mamers, were the "guests" of Ceres and Mefitis

2004, Sarah Iles Johnston, Religions of the ancient world, page 233:

Of or relating to the Roman goddess Ceres


Ganymedean

/ˌɡænəmɪˈdiː.ən/

(astronomy) Of or relating to the Jovian moon named for Ganymede, the largest in the Solar system.


Ganymedean

/ˌɡænəmɪˈdiː.ən/

(science fiction, demonym) An inhabitant of Ganymede (a moon of Jupiter).


Enceladan

(science fiction, demonym) An inhabitant of Enceladus (a moon of Saturn).


Charonian

/kəˈɹoʊnɪən/

/ʃəˈɹoʊnɪən/

From Charon + -ian, or from the alternative Latin oblique stem Charōnis.

The Charonians were proud of their frozen hell. Styxville was like Plutopolis, only less so.

1990, Donald Moffitt, A Gathering of Stars:

(science fiction) An inhabitant of Charon (a moon of Pluto).

Charonian staircase

a flight of steps from under the stage in ancient Greek theatre; used by arrivals from Hades.


Venerian

Venerian (comparative more Venerian, superlative most Venerian)

more Venerian (comparative)
most Venerian (superlative)

From Middle English venerien, either from Old French venerien or from Latin Venerius.


Mirandan

(astronomy) Of or relating to the Neptunian moon named for Miranda.


crackleberry

Four tall pointane trees, each a perfect teardrop, stood surrounded by a low hedge of russet crackleberry.

1997, Jack Vance, The Demon Princes: The Face, page 86:

Either the sorcerer's magic, or the filthy moat, or the crackleberries — or all three — had turned his guts to slush and wrung out his bowels.

2005, Charles Coleman Finlay, The Prodigal Troll, page 25:

(fantasy) An imaginary shrub, or the fruit of this shrub


omnicompetent

The omnicompetent state admittedly works badly at times, but it does work, which is more than the impotent "commune" would be likely to do.

1922, Niles Carpenter, Guild Socialism: An Historical and Critical Analysis, New York, London: D. Appleton and Co., →LCCN, →OCLC, →OL, page 273:

Are the judgments of public opinion inevitably "right" or even relatively wise, or are they merely the resultants of the delusions, prejudices, and inadequacies of the supposedly omnicompetent citizen exercising his "right divine of the ignorant to govern wrong"?

1942 March, Leon Weaver, “How Valid is Public Opinion?”, in Social Forces, volume 20, number 3, →ISSN, →JSTOR, pages 341–344:

Soon after the Bolshevik Revolution, the image of the future omnicompetent, endlessly mobile man was restated by Bukharin and Preobrazhensky in their political primer, The ABC of Communism.

1962 April, Elliot R. Goodman, “Reflections on the New Soviet Party Program”, in Russian Review, volume 21, number 2, →ISSN, →JSTOR, pages 109–120:

Granted, management is not omnicompetent; that is why it must rely on the expertise of the workers. But neither are the workers omnicompetent.

1990, Lee Hardy, The Fabric of This World: Inquiries into Calling, Career Choice, and the Design of Human Work, Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, →OL, page 166:

To Lippmann, democratic theory presented an idealized vision of omnicompetent citizens capable of making informed decisions leading to wise laws and good government, a condition that plainly did not obtain.

1998 June, Glenn W., Jr. Richardson, “Building a Better Ad Watch: Talking Patterns to the American Voter”, in The International Journal of Press/Politics, volume 3, number 3, →DOI, pages 76–95:

Competent in every area; (specifically) having formal jurisdiction in all matters.


farspeak

en-verb

farspeak (third-person singular simple present farspeaks, present participle farspeaking, simple past farspoke, past participle farspoken)

farspeaks (present singular third-person)
farspeaking (participle present)
farspoke (past)
farspoken (participle past)

Then the conversation turned to a vexatious old topic: Denis's continuing futile attempts to farspeak other telepaths.

1987, Julian May, Intervention, page 169:

Talia longed for Kyril's ability to Farspeak; even at this distance she would have been able to get some kind of warning back to the Heralds near the Border.

1988, Mercedes Lackey, Arrow's Fall, page 178:

"Go on back to the City, child," she said, very calmly, "and when you are close enough, farspeak the Council".

1991, Margaret Ball, Flameweaver, page 23:

Unless," he added, leaning forward, lowering his hand to the railing, "you would care to farspeak Chiara and have the King settle this himself?"

She tried to farspeak them but couldn't catch enough magic even for that.

2007, Gail Dayton, The Eternal Rose, page 391:

(science fiction, fantasy) To engage in long-distance communication by magic or telepathy.


farspeak

Alerted by the powerful farspeak of the watching prairiecat, Whitetip, as soon as the Ganiks began filing down the path from the shelf, Bili had all three hundred and twelve of his male and female warriors standing to arms...

1982, Robert Adams, The Witch Goddess, page 185:

(science fiction, fantasy) The use of magic or telepathy to communicate over long distances.


scoutcraft

en-noun

scoutcraft (plural scoutcrafts or scoutcraft)

scoutcrafts (plural)
scoutcraft (plural)

Enemy scoutcraft, extreme range.

1994, Debra Doyle, James D. Macdonald, By Honor Betray'd:

In August 1954 a Venusian scoutcraft allegedly flew Adamski around the moon, showing him extraterrestrial cities and hangars as well as forests, lakes, and rivers.

1999, Jerome Clark, Unexplained!: Strange Sightings, Incredible Occurrences & Puzzling Physical Phenomena, Visible Ink Press, page 7:

He flies around the Galaxy all alone in just a little tiny scoutcraft?

2001, Douglas Kendall, Battle of Infinity City, page 298:

In the ensuing years it had never come to that, yet every scoutcraft was equipped with a self-destruct mechanism, and every commander was prepared at all times to activate it.

2006, Margaret Wander Bonanno, Strangers From The Sky, Pocket Books, page 32:

The nearer they closed in; tiny scoutcrafts could be seen continuingly migrating to and from them.

2013, Chris J. Berry, The Celestial Window, page 137:

(rare, science fiction, ufology) A spacecraft used for scouting.


unbirthday

From un- + birthday, coined by English writer Lewis Carroll (1832–1898) in Through the Looking-Glass (1871).

"They gave it me," Humpty Dumpty continued thoughtfully, as he crossed one knee over the other and clasped his hands round it, "they gave it me⸺for an un-birthday present." / "I beg your pardon?" Alice said with a puzzled air." / "I'm not offended," said Humpty Dumpty. / "I mean, what is an un-birthday present?" / "A present given when it isn't your birthday, of course."

1871 December 27 (indicated as 1872), Lewis Carroll [pseudonym; Charles Lutwidge Dodgson], “Humpty Dumpty”, in Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There, London: Macmillan and Co., →OCLC, pages 121–122:

Hunting for treasures on any special day (like Easter, Christmas, birthdays or unbirthdays) can be fun for children and parents alike.

1995, Terry Orlick, Nice on My Feelings: Nurturing the Best in Children and Parents:

Another way to look at unbirthdays is as an opportunity to celebrate every day of life. You can throw a party for no particular reason, except for FUN!

1998, Alison Molinare Boteler, Matthew Klein, The Disney Party Handbook: 14 Fun Filled Parties:

Make an unbirthday cake and wear party hats when you blow out the candles together.

2006, Sheila Ellison, 365 Games Smart Toddlers Play: Creative Time to Imagine, Grow and Learn:

I got some great photos with the unbirthday camera you left for me in the suitcase. Thanks.

"This is just an unbirthday party. Wait till you see your birthday party. When is your birthday, Peg?"

A day that is not one's birthday but is celebrated as though it were.


starport

(science fiction) A port for interstellar craft.


Supes

(colloquial) Superman, the DC Comics character.


XY

(fandom slang) Initialism of Pokémon X and Y.


Phan

In 2017 Tumblr fandometrics identified that two of the ten most reblogged ships were RPF ships. YouTube vloggers Dan Howell and Phil Lester, whose ship portmanteau is Phan, […]

2018 June, Emily E. Roach, “The homoerotics of the boyband, queerbaiting and RPF in pop music fandoms”, in The Journal of Fandom Studies, volume 6, number 2:

In hindsight, I now regret the errors of my ways (flashback to the time I was embarrassingly obsessed with Phan, the romantic pairing of YouTubers Daniel Howell and Phil Lester) as I find it uncomfortable to see people make the mistakes I once did.

2019 June 24, Jade Tan, “All Aboard The Ship”, in The High, International School of Lausanne, page 10:

Fans were so frenzied by the idea of a romantic relationship between them that Phan has always maintained a spot in the top five of Yearly Top Ships on Tumblr for the past three years.

2020 May, Sherin John Francis, Kavya Purushothaman, “Fanfiction: A Study as An Uprising Genre in LIterature”, in Purakala, volume 31, number 30, page 28:

(fandom slang) The real-person fiction ship of YouTube personalities Daniel Howell and Phil Lester.


Nibiru

(in the works of Zecharia Sitchin) A supposed planet in a highly elliptic orbit around the Sun.


housekeep

The housekeep was back rather quickly with a tray, which held a flagon of ale and a pewter cup as well as bread and cheese.

1993, Sharon Green, Flame of Fury, page 153:

Something clearly went wrong, for in the accounts for 1624, against the record of £50 paid to Jenninges the Housekeep at Theobalds for the setting of those Trees wch my Lord sent the king', Sackville Crowe has written in the margin that "This my Lord would not have comaunded againe though it were for the [king's] use'.

2014, Jennifer Potter, Strange Blooms: The Curious Lives and Adventures of the John Tradescants:

'Clumsy, stupid girl!'
'Here, there's no call for that,' the house-keep protested. 'She's only trying to help.'

2016, Rowena Cory Daniells, King Breaker:

(archaic or fantasy) The person in charge of a house; a housekeeper or innkeeper.


clairsentient

en-adj

clairsentient (comparative more clairsentient, superlative most clairsentient)

more clairsentient (comparative)
most clairsentient (superlative)

Exhibiting or pertaining to clairsentience.


outworld

Shepard, it's been two years since you had a job. Isn't it time you rectified that?
Exciting opportunities await Alliance citizens like you on the outworld colonies.

2010, BioWare, Mass Effect 2 (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2019-10-31, PC, scene: Citadel Zakera Level 27 Advertisement:

(science fiction, often attributive) A planet that is remote from the homeworld of a civilization.

(fantasy) Any civilization seen as remote from the speaker's perspective.


tritagonist

Ancient Greek, originally in Greek drama, from ἀγωνιστής (agōnistḗs, “a combatant, pleader, actor”). By surface analysis, trit- (“third”) + agonist (“combatant, participant”).

surf

In Greek drama, the actor who played the third role (after the protagonist and deuteragonist)


boggard

Uncertain, but likely from Lancashire, Yorkshire etc dialectal variants of bug (“goblin; terrifying thing; etc.”), equivalent to bog + -ard.

A Boggarde, spectrum.

He thinks every bush a boggard, i.e. a bugbear or phantasm.

1768, John Ray, A Compleat Collection of English Proverbs, published 1818, page 123:

Boggle, Boggart, a fearful object, a hobgoblin.

1855, F.K. Robinson, Glossary of Yorkshire Words, page 17:

(UK dialectal) A bogey: a ghost, goblin, or other hostile supernatural creature, especially a small local spirit haunting gloomy places or the scenes of violence.


boggart

OH! Maeſter—ſtrange things late I've ſeen— / And oft has boggart-haunted been ! / I'm ſure I's falt when ſtory's-tauld, / 'Till blude run aw' through veins ſo cauld !

1787, William Collins, “Song XXV: A Lancaſhire Farmer's deſcription of an Earthquake”, in The New Vocal Miscellany, or, A Fountain of Pure Harmony; Containing Sixty New Songs, page 32:

“[…]Are na ye shamed, ye weak gawly, that yc darena stir ower the threshold for fear of a boggart?”

1821, Lee Gibbons, chapter III, in The Cavalier, volume II, page 48:

Hoggart's Leap is a weird name, suggesting to the uninitiated some connection with a local tradition and a boggart or a barguest of Swaledale renown ; but I believe that Hoggart is really a family name, there being Hoggarth's Farm about two miles further up the Swale.

1897 August 13, Harwood Brierley, “The Swale and Its Waterfalts”, in Sylvanus Urban, editor, The Gentleman's Magazine, volume CCLXXXIII, page 191:

[…]but when it came to a question of standing up against the boggart of Arden—a thing, in the popular imagination, composed of neither flesh, blood, nor bones—even a physical giant had qualms and misgivings, and so had Joseph Wand.

1898 December 13, George Morley, “The Sleeping Beauty. A Woodlander's Adventure”, in Sylvanus Urban, editor, The Gentleman's Magazine, volume CCLXXXV, The Verger and the Woodman, page 532:

Alternative spelling of boggard (A bogey, a ghost)


unbihexium

systematic element name
systematic element name

The systematic element name for the (as yet undiscovered) chemical element with atomic number 126 (symbol Ubh).


biobed

(science fiction, chiefly Star Trek) A bed equipped with biofeedback sensors for medical diagnosis.


Cerean

Pata'na was a Roman goddess who appears with greatly varied names, sometimes as a derivation from Ceres or a Cerean deity, and sometimes as Ceres herself.

1892, Charles Leland, Etruscan Roman Remains, published 2007, page 233:

Bouncing is something to be avoided in the low Cerean gravity: any bouncing here would have lifted me up against the café's green and white striped awning — and maybe on through it to interface violently with the 60 meters of carbonaceous chondrite rock that separate Clarkeville from the surface.

1994, Hayford Peirce, “Six Million Solid Gold Belter Buckles”, in Jonathan White: Stockbroker in Orbit, Wildside Press, published 2001, →ISBN, page 45:

If so, a commonality of Cerean life with Terran and possible Martian life ... could provide a strong corroboration of the "Ceres origin" hypothesis.

2012, Joop M. Houtkooper, Life on Earth and other Planetary Bodies, →ISBN, page 168:


Spockian

en-adj

Spockian (comparative more Spockian, superlative most Spockian)

more Spockian (comparative)
most Spockian (superlative)

And you can see from the Spockian ears and the raised eyebrows, he had a positive Mephistophelian look.

1989, Howard Aiken, “Early Inventors”, in Robert Slater, editor, Portraits in Silicon, The MIT Press, →ISBN:

She bit into tough, stringy meat that had a pungent, wild taste to it. "Interesting," she commented, attempting a Spockian neutrality.

1997, Alex Matthews, Satan's Silence: The Second Cassidy McCabe Mystery, Intrigue Press, →ISBN, page 135:

Most cognitive psychologists in the mideighties viewed the brain as a computer-like mechanism based on pure logic and rational thought. There was no room for emotions in their Spockian formulation.

2009, Paul Herr, Primal Management: Unraveling the Secrets of Human Nature to Drive High Performance, AMACOM, →ISBN, page 24:

Related to, or characteristic of, the character Spock from Star Trek, especially in being emotionally detached.