"space opera" meaning in English

See space opera in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

Forms: space operas [plural]
Etymology: Coined by fan and writer Wilson "Bob" Tucker in 1941. The term was originally derived from the term horse opera to describe a specific, hackneyed science fiction writing style. Head templates: {{en-noun|~}} space opera (countable and uncountable, plural space operas)
  1. (initially derogatory) A subgenre of speculative fiction or science fiction that emphasizes space travel, romantic adventure, and larger-than-life characters often set against vast exotic settings. Tags: countable, uncountable Categories (topical): Film genres, Genres, Literary genres, Science fiction Related terms: fantasy, speculative fiction
    Sense id: en-space_opera-en-noun-SLgYXlQi Disambiguation of Film genres: 51 48 1 Disambiguation of Genres: 51 48 1 Disambiguation of Literary genres: 50 49 1 Disambiguation of Science fiction: 51 49 0 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 2 entries, Pages with entries, Terms with Dutch translations, Terms with Finnish translations, Terms with German translations, Terms with Italian translations, Terms with Mandarin translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 48 51 1 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 49 48 3 Disambiguation of Pages with 2 entries: 49 47 4 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 49 49 3 Disambiguation of Terms with Dutch translations: 51 46 3 Disambiguation of Terms with Finnish translations: 50 48 3 Disambiguation of Terms with German translations: 50 47 4 Disambiguation of Terms with Italian translations: 50 47 3 Disambiguation of Terms with Mandarin translations: 49 48 3
  2. A subgenre of speculative fiction or science fiction that uses serialization. Tags: countable, uncountable Categories (topical): Film genres, Genres, Literary genres, Science fiction
    Sense id: en-space_opera-en-noun-X-gPF474 Disambiguation of Film genres: 51 48 1 Disambiguation of Genres: 51 48 1 Disambiguation of Literary genres: 50 49 1 Disambiguation of Science fiction: 51 49 0 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 2 entries, Pages with entries, Terms with Dutch translations, Terms with Finnish translations, Terms with German translations, Terms with Italian translations, Terms with Mandarin translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 48 51 1 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 49 48 3 Disambiguation of Pages with 2 entries: 49 47 4 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 49 49 3 Disambiguation of Terms with Dutch translations: 51 46 3 Disambiguation of Terms with Finnish translations: 50 48 3 Disambiguation of Terms with German translations: 50 47 4 Disambiguation of Terms with Italian translations: 50 47 3 Disambiguation of Terms with Mandarin translations: 49 48 3
  3. (countable) A work or production in this style. Tags: countable Translations (a work or production): ruimteopera [feminine] (Dutch), avaruusooppera (Finnish), Weltraumoper [feminine] (German)
    Sense id: en-space_opera-en-noun-CBtcqj3c Disambiguation of 'a work or production': 0 0 100
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Translations (subgenre of speculative fiction): 太空歌劇 /太空歌剧 (tàikōng gējù) (Chinese Mandarin), ruimteopera [feminine] (Dutch), avaruusooppera (Finnish), Weltraumoper [feminine] (German), epopea spaziale [feminine] (Italian) Translations (subgenre of speculative fiction or science fiction that utilizes serialisation): ruimteopera [feminine] (Dutch), avaruusooppera (Finnish)
Disambiguation of 'subgenre of speculative fiction': 50 50 0 Disambiguation of 'subgenre of speculative fiction or science fiction that utilizes serialisation': 50 50 0

Inflected forms

{
  "descendants": [
    {
      "depth": 1,
      "templates": [
        {
          "args": {
            "1": "nl",
            "2": "ruimteopera",
            "clq": "1"
          },
          "expansion": "→ Dutch: ruimteopera (calque)",
          "name": "desc"
        }
      ],
      "text": "→ Dutch: ruimteopera (calque)"
    },
    {
      "depth": 1,
      "templates": [
        {
          "args": {
            "1": "de",
            "2": "Weltraumoper",
            "clq": "1"
          },
          "expansion": "→ German: Weltraumoper (calque)",
          "name": "desc"
        }
      ],
      "text": "→ German: Weltraumoper (calque)"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Coined by fan and writer Wilson \"Bob\" Tucker in 1941. The term was originally derived from the term horse opera to describe a specific, hackneyed science fiction writing style.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "space operas",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "~"
      },
      "expansion": "space opera (countable and uncountable, plural space operas)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "48 51 1",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "49 48 3",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Entries with translation boxes",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "49 47 4",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 2 entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "49 49 3",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "51 46 3",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Dutch translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "50 48 3",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Finnish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "50 47 4",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with German translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "50 47 3",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Italian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "49 48 3",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Mandarin translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "51 48 1",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Film genres",
          "orig": "en:Film genres",
          "parents": [
            "Film",
            "Genres",
            "Entertainment",
            "Mass media",
            "Culture",
            "Media",
            "Society",
            "Communication",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "51 48 1",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Genres",
          "orig": "en:Genres",
          "parents": [
            "Entertainment",
            "Culture",
            "Society",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "50 49 1",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Literary genres",
          "orig": "en:Literary genres",
          "parents": [
            "Fiction",
            "Genres",
            "Literature",
            "Artistic works",
            "Entertainment",
            "Culture",
            "Writing",
            "Art",
            "Society",
            "Human behaviour",
            "Language",
            "All topics",
            "Human",
            "Communication",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "51 49 0",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Science fiction",
          "orig": "en:Science fiction",
          "parents": [
            "Fiction",
            "Speculative fiction",
            "Artistic works",
            "Genres",
            "Art",
            "Entertainment",
            "Culture",
            "Society",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1941 January, \"Bob\" Tucker, Le Zombie, number 36, page 9:",
          "text": "SUGGESTION DEPT: In these hectic days of phrase-coining, we offer one. Westerns are called \"horse operas\", the morning housewife tear-jerkers are called \"soap operas\". For the hacky, grinding, stinking, outworn space-ship yarn, or world-saving for that matter, we offer \"space opera\"",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A subgenre of speculative fiction or science fiction that emphasizes space travel, romantic adventure, and larger-than-life characters often set against vast exotic settings."
      ],
      "id": "en-space_opera-en-noun-SLgYXlQi",
      "links": [
        [
          "derogatory",
          "derogatory"
        ],
        [
          "speculative fiction",
          "speculative fiction"
        ],
        [
          "science fiction",
          "science fiction"
        ]
      ],
      "qualifier": "initially derogatory",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(initially derogatory) A subgenre of speculative fiction or science fiction that emphasizes space travel, romantic adventure, and larger-than-life characters often set against vast exotic settings."
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0 0",
          "word": "fantasy"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0 0",
          "word": "speculative fiction"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "uncountable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "48 51 1",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "49 48 3",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Entries with translation boxes",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "49 47 4",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 2 entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "49 49 3",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "51 46 3",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Dutch translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "50 48 3",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Finnish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "50 47 4",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with German translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "50 47 3",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Italian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "49 48 3",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Mandarin translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "51 48 1",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Film genres",
          "orig": "en:Film genres",
          "parents": [
            "Film",
            "Genres",
            "Entertainment",
            "Mass media",
            "Culture",
            "Media",
            "Society",
            "Communication",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "51 48 1",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Genres",
          "orig": "en:Genres",
          "parents": [
            "Entertainment",
            "Culture",
            "Society",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "50 49 1",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Literary genres",
          "orig": "en:Literary genres",
          "parents": [
            "Fiction",
            "Genres",
            "Literature",
            "Artistic works",
            "Entertainment",
            "Culture",
            "Writing",
            "Art",
            "Society",
            "Human behaviour",
            "Language",
            "All topics",
            "Human",
            "Communication",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "51 49 0",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Science fiction",
          "orig": "en:Science fiction",
          "parents": [
            "Fiction",
            "Speculative fiction",
            "Artistic works",
            "Genres",
            "Art",
            "Entertainment",
            "Culture",
            "Society",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A subgenre of speculative fiction or science fiction that uses serialization."
      ],
      "id": "en-space_opera-en-noun-X-gPF474",
      "links": [
        [
          "speculative fiction",
          "speculative fiction"
        ],
        [
          "science fiction",
          "science fiction"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "uncountable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "glosses": [
        "A work or production in this style."
      ],
      "id": "en-space_opera-en-noun-CBtcqj3c",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(countable) A work or production in this style."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "0 0 100",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "a work or production",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "ruimteopera"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 0 100",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "a work or production",
          "word": "avaruusooppera"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 0 100",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "a work or production",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "Weltraumoper"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50 0",
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "tàikōng gējù",
      "sense": "subgenre of speculative fiction",
      "word": "太空歌劇 /太空歌剧"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50 0",
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "subgenre of speculative fiction",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "ruimteopera"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50 0",
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "subgenre of speculative fiction",
      "word": "avaruusooppera"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50 0",
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "subgenre of speculative fiction",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Weltraumoper"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50 0",
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "subgenre of speculative fiction",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "epopea spaziale"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50 0",
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "subgenre of speculative fiction or science fiction that utilizes serialisation",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "ruimteopera"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50 0",
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "subgenre of speculative fiction or science fiction that utilizes serialisation",
      "word": "avaruusooppera"
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "space opera"
  ],
  "word": "space opera"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English nouns",
    "English uncountable nouns",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 2 entries",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Terms with Dutch translations",
    "Terms with Finnish translations",
    "Terms with German translations",
    "Terms with Italian translations",
    "Terms with Mandarin translations",
    "en:Film genres",
    "en:Genres",
    "en:Literary genres",
    "en:Science fiction"
  ],
  "descendants": [
    {
      "depth": 1,
      "templates": [
        {
          "args": {
            "1": "nl",
            "2": "ruimteopera",
            "clq": "1"
          },
          "expansion": "→ Dutch: ruimteopera (calque)",
          "name": "desc"
        }
      ],
      "text": "→ Dutch: ruimteopera (calque)"
    },
    {
      "depth": 1,
      "templates": [
        {
          "args": {
            "1": "de",
            "2": "Weltraumoper",
            "clq": "1"
          },
          "expansion": "→ German: Weltraumoper (calque)",
          "name": "desc"
        }
      ],
      "text": "→ German: Weltraumoper (calque)"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Coined by fan and writer Wilson \"Bob\" Tucker in 1941. The term was originally derived from the term horse opera to describe a specific, hackneyed science fiction writing style.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "space operas",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "~"
      },
      "expansion": "space opera (countable and uncountable, plural space operas)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "fantasy"
    },
    {
      "word": "speculative fiction"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English derogatory terms",
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1941 January, \"Bob\" Tucker, Le Zombie, number 36, page 9:",
          "text": "SUGGESTION DEPT: In these hectic days of phrase-coining, we offer one. Westerns are called \"horse operas\", the morning housewife tear-jerkers are called \"soap operas\". For the hacky, grinding, stinking, outworn space-ship yarn, or world-saving for that matter, we offer \"space opera\"",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A subgenre of speculative fiction or science fiction that emphasizes space travel, romantic adventure, and larger-than-life characters often set against vast exotic settings."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "derogatory",
          "derogatory"
        ],
        [
          "speculative fiction",
          "speculative fiction"
        ],
        [
          "science fiction",
          "science fiction"
        ]
      ],
      "qualifier": "initially derogatory",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(initially derogatory) A subgenre of speculative fiction or science fiction that emphasizes space travel, romantic adventure, and larger-than-life characters often set against vast exotic settings."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "uncountable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "A subgenre of speculative fiction or science fiction that uses serialization."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "speculative fiction",
          "speculative fiction"
        ],
        [
          "science fiction",
          "science fiction"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "uncountable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English countable nouns"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A work or production in this style."
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(countable) A work or production in this style."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "tàikōng gējù",
      "sense": "subgenre of speculative fiction",
      "word": "太空歌劇 /太空歌剧"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "subgenre of speculative fiction",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "ruimteopera"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "subgenre of speculative fiction",
      "word": "avaruusooppera"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "subgenre of speculative fiction",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Weltraumoper"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "subgenre of speculative fiction",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "epopea spaziale"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "subgenre of speculative fiction or science fiction that utilizes serialisation",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "ruimteopera"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "subgenre of speculative fiction or science fiction that utilizes serialisation",
      "word": "avaruusooppera"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "a work or production",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "ruimteopera"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "a work or production",
      "word": "avaruusooppera"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "a work or production",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Weltraumoper"
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "space opera"
  ],
  "word": "space opera"
}

Download raw JSONL data for space opera meaning in English (4.2kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-02-15 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-02-02 using wiktextract (ca09fec and c40eb85). 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.