"sci-fi" meaning in English

See sci-fi in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Adjective

IPA: /saɪ.faɪ/ [UK] Audio: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-sci-fi.wav Forms: sci fi [alternative], scifi [alternative]
Rhymes: -aɪfaɪ Etymology: A clipping of science fiction. Etymology templates: {{clipping|en|science fiction|nocap=1}} clipping of science fiction Head templates: {{en-adj|?}} sci-fi
  1. Of or pertaining to such a genre. Synonyms: science fiction. science-fiction, sci-fix, sci-fic, SF, S.F., S. F., sf, s.f. Derived forms: skiffy Translations (science fiction): 科幻 (kēhuàn) (Chinese Mandarin), scifi (Finnish), S-F [feminine] (French), science-fiction [feminine] (French), ΕΦ (EF) [feminine] (Greek), sci-fi (Hungarian), fantascienza [feminine] (Italian), сай-фа́й (saj-fáj) [masculine] (Russian), ficsean saidheans [masculine] (Scottish Gaelic)
    Sense id: en-sci-fi-en-adj-2oIcu6Z- Categories (other): Genres Disambiguation of Genres: 38 26 35

Noun

IPA: /saɪ.faɪ/ [UK] Audio: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-sci-fi.wav Forms: sci fi [alternative], scifi [alternative]
Rhymes: -aɪfaɪ Etymology: A clipping of science fiction. Etymology templates: {{clipping|en|science fiction|nocap=1}} clipping of science fiction Head templates: {{en-noun|-|nolink=1}} sci-fi (uncountable)
  1. A genre of movies featuring mostly fictional scientific scenes. Tags: uncountable
    Sense id: en-sci-fi-en-noun-v-EvM8vd Categories (other): Genres Disambiguation of Genres: 38 26 35
  2. (colloquial) Syllabic abbreviation of science fiction. Tags: colloquial, uncountable
    Sense id: en-sci-fi-en-noun-Ixm1geni Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 2 entries, Pages with entries, Terms with Finnish translations, Terms with French translations, Terms with Greek translations, Terms with Hungarian translations, Terms with Italian translations, Terms with Mandarin translations, Terms with Russian translations, Terms with Scottish Gaelic translations, Genres, Science fiction Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 24 3 73 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 13 4 83 Disambiguation of Pages with 2 entries: 28 6 66 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 26 3 71 Disambiguation of Terms with Finnish translations: 19 9 72 Disambiguation of Terms with French translations: 22 10 68 Disambiguation of Terms with Greek translations: 22 9 69 Disambiguation of Terms with Hungarian translations: 19 8 73 Disambiguation of Terms with Italian translations: 21 7 72 Disambiguation of Terms with Mandarin translations: 18 8 74 Disambiguation of Terms with Russian translations: 17 6 77 Disambiguation of Terms with Scottish Gaelic translations: 24 9 67 Disambiguation of Genres: 38 26 35 Disambiguation of Science fiction: 11 1 87

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "science fiction",
        "nocap": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "clipping of science fiction",
      "name": "clipping"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "A clipping of science fiction.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "sci fi",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "scifi",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-",
        "nolink": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "sci-fi (uncountable)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "38 26 35",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Genres",
          "orig": "en:Genres",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              16,
              22
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "1970, National Board of Review of Motion Pictures (contributor), Films in Review, volume 21, page 571:",
          "text": "I'm the kind of sci-fi addict who can stand any amount of improbability, bad acting, uninterested direction and poverty-row budgets, but can't take The Mind of Mr. Soames.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A genre of movies featuring mostly fictional scientific scenes."
      ],
      "id": "en-sci-fi-en-noun-v-EvM8vd",
      "links": [
        [
          "genre",
          "genre"
        ],
        [
          "movies",
          "movies"
        ],
        [
          "featuring",
          "feature"
        ],
        [
          "fictional",
          "fictional"
        ],
        [
          "scientific",
          "scientific"
        ],
        [
          "scene",
          "scene"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "24 3 73",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "13 4 83",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Entries with translation boxes",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "28 6 66",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 2 entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "26 3 71",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "19 9 72",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Finnish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "22 10 68",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with French translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "22 9 69",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Greek translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "19 8 73",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Hungarian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "21 7 72",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Italian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "18 8 74",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Mandarin translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "17 6 77",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Russian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "24 9 67",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Scottish Gaelic translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "38 26 35",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Genres",
          "orig": "en:Genres",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "11 1 87",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Science fiction",
          "orig": "en:Science fiction",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Syllabic abbreviation of science fiction."
      ],
      "id": "en-sci-fi-en-noun-Ixm1geni",
      "links": [
        [
          "science fiction",
          "science fiction#English"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(colloquial) Syllabic abbreviation of science fiction."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "colloquial",
        "uncountable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/saɪ.faɪ/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-sci-fi.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/1/19/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-sci-fi.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-sci-fi.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/1/19/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-sci-fi.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-sci-fi.wav.ogg"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-aɪfaɪ"
    }
  ],
  "word": "sci-fi"
}

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "science fiction",
        "nocap": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "clipping of science fiction",
      "name": "clipping"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "A clipping of science fiction.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "sci fi",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "scifi",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "?"
      },
      "expansion": "sci-fi",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "38 26 35",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Genres",
          "orig": "en:Genres",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "derived": [
        {
          "word": "skiffy"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Of or pertaining to such a genre."
      ],
      "id": "en-sci-fi-en-adj-2oIcu6Z-",
      "links": [
        [
          "pertaining",
          "pertaining"
        ],
        [
          "genre",
          "genre"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "science fiction. science-fiction"
        },
        {
          "word": "sci-fix"
        },
        {
          "word": "sci-fic"
        },
        {
          "word": "SF"
        },
        {
          "word": "S.F."
        },
        {
          "word": "S. F."
        },
        {
          "word": "sf"
        },
        {
          "word": "s.f."
        }
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "lang_code": "cmn",
          "roman": "kēhuàn",
          "sense": "science fiction",
          "word": "科幻"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "lang_code": "fi",
          "sense": "science fiction",
          "word": "scifi"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "lang_code": "fr",
          "sense": "science fiction",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "S-F"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "lang_code": "fr",
          "sense": "science fiction",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "science-fiction"
        },
        {
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "lang_code": "el",
          "roman": "EF",
          "sense": "science fiction",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "ΕΦ"
        },
        {
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "lang_code": "hu",
          "sense": "science fiction",
          "word": "sci-fi"
        },
        {
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "lang_code": "it",
          "sense": "science fiction",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "fantascienza"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "lang_code": "ru",
          "roman": "saj-fáj",
          "sense": "science fiction",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "сай-фа́й"
        },
        {
          "code": "gd",
          "lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
          "lang_code": "gd",
          "sense": "science fiction",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "ficsean saidheans"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/saɪ.faɪ/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-sci-fi.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/1/19/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-sci-fi.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-sci-fi.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/1/19/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-sci-fi.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-sci-fi.wav.ogg"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-aɪfaɪ"
    }
  ],
  "word": "sci-fi"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English adjectives",
    "English clippings",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English nouns",
    "English rhyming phrases",
    "English syllabic abbreviations",
    "English uncountable nouns",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 2 entries",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Rhymes:English/aɪfaɪ",
    "Rhymes:English/aɪfaɪ/2 syllables",
    "Terms with Finnish translations",
    "Terms with French translations",
    "Terms with Greek translations",
    "Terms with Hungarian translations",
    "Terms with Italian translations",
    "Terms with Mandarin translations",
    "Terms with Russian translations",
    "Terms with Scottish Gaelic translations",
    "en:Genres",
    "en:Science fiction"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "science fiction",
        "nocap": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "clipping of science fiction",
      "name": "clipping"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "A clipping of science fiction.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "sci fi",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "scifi",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-",
        "nolink": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "sci-fi (uncountable)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              16,
              22
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "1970, National Board of Review of Motion Pictures (contributor), Films in Review, volume 21, page 571:",
          "text": "I'm the kind of sci-fi addict who can stand any amount of improbability, bad acting, uninterested direction and poverty-row budgets, but can't take The Mind of Mr. Soames.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A genre of movies featuring mostly fictional scientific scenes."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "genre",
          "genre"
        ],
        [
          "movies",
          "movies"
        ],
        [
          "featuring",
          "feature"
        ],
        [
          "fictional",
          "fictional"
        ],
        [
          "scientific",
          "scientific"
        ],
        [
          "scene",
          "scene"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English colloquialisms",
        "English syllabic abbreviations"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Syllabic abbreviation of science fiction."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "science fiction",
          "science fiction#English"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(colloquial) Syllabic abbreviation of science fiction."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "colloquial",
        "uncountable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/saɪ.faɪ/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-sci-fi.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/1/19/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-sci-fi.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-sci-fi.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/1/19/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-sci-fi.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-sci-fi.wav.ogg"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-aɪfaɪ"
    }
  ],
  "word": "sci-fi"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English adjectives",
    "English clippings",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English nouns",
    "English rhyming phrases",
    "English syllabic abbreviations",
    "English uncountable nouns",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 2 entries",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Rhymes:English/aɪfaɪ",
    "Rhymes:English/aɪfaɪ/2 syllables",
    "Terms with Finnish translations",
    "Terms with French translations",
    "Terms with Greek translations",
    "Terms with Hungarian translations",
    "Terms with Italian translations",
    "Terms with Mandarin translations",
    "Terms with Russian translations",
    "Terms with Scottish Gaelic translations",
    "en:Genres",
    "en:Science fiction"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "skiffy"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "science fiction",
        "nocap": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "clipping of science fiction",
      "name": "clipping"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "A clipping of science fiction.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "sci fi",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "scifi",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "?"
      },
      "expansion": "sci-fi",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
    {
      "glosses": [
        "Of or pertaining to such a genre."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "pertaining",
          "pertaining"
        ],
        [
          "genre",
          "genre"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/saɪ.faɪ/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-sci-fi.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/1/19/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-sci-fi.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-sci-fi.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/1/19/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-sci-fi.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-sci-fi.wav.ogg"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-aɪfaɪ"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "word": "science fiction. science-fiction"
    },
    {
      "word": "sci-fix"
    },
    {
      "word": "sci-fic"
    },
    {
      "word": "SF"
    },
    {
      "word": "S.F."
    },
    {
      "word": "S. F."
    },
    {
      "word": "sf"
    },
    {
      "word": "s.f."
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "lang_code": "cmn",
      "roman": "kēhuàn",
      "sense": "science fiction",
      "word": "科幻"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "lang_code": "fi",
      "sense": "science fiction",
      "word": "scifi"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "lang_code": "fr",
      "sense": "science fiction",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "S-F"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "lang_code": "fr",
      "sense": "science fiction",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "science-fiction"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "lang_code": "el",
      "roman": "EF",
      "sense": "science fiction",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "ΕΦ"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "lang_code": "hu",
      "sense": "science fiction",
      "word": "sci-fi"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "lang_code": "it",
      "sense": "science fiction",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "fantascienza"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "lang_code": "ru",
      "roman": "saj-fáj",
      "sense": "science fiction",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "сай-фа́й"
    },
    {
      "code": "gd",
      "lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
      "lang_code": "gd",
      "sense": "science fiction",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "ficsean saidheans"
    }
  ],
  "word": "sci-fi"
}

Download raw JSONL data for sci-fi meaning in English (5.7kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-02-14 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-02-01 using wiktextract (f492ef9 and 59dc20b). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.