Science Fiction (Sci fi) Vocabulary Words with Meanings

A science fiction is a type of fiction that focuses primarily on the impact of real or imagined science on society or people.

Sci Fi Vocabulary Words

Following is a list of common science fiction terms along with their explanation:

  1. Artificial intelligence: The study and design of intelligent agents, like robots or software
  2. Alien: Imaginary creature from outer space.
  3. Alternate universe: A world other than our own. Similar to parallel universe.
  4. Asteroid: Rocky object orbiting the sun
  5. Atmosphere: Air or climate in a given place
  6. Bionic: Having electronically powered organs
  7. Black hole: Object in space with strong gravitational pull that no matter or energy can escape.
  8. Clones: Genetically identical organism
  9. Close encounter: Event where a person witnesses an unidentified flying object
  10. Cosmos: The whole universe
  11. Cryonics: Freezing of a corpse with the hope of restoring it later.
  12. Cryogenics: Study of extremely low temperatures
  13. Cybernetics: Study of communication in organisms, organic processes, and mechanical or electronic systems…when accompanied with implants, the concept of bionics is created.
  14. Cyborgs: A fictional being that is part-human, part-robot
  15. Cyberpunk: Fusion between man and machine set in an urban society that is usually anarchic
  16. Deep space: Space beyond the earth’s gravitational influence or beyond the orbit of the moon
  17. Dystopia: An ideal society that becomes intolerable
  18. Extraterrestrial: Existing or coming from somewhere outside earth and its atmosphere
  19. Flying saucer: A disk-shaped flying object believed to be an extraterrestrial spacecraft
  20. Force field: A shield (in some cases large enough to cover an entire planet) to protect something from damage by natural forces or enemy attack
  21. Galaxy: Assembly of stars, gas and dust
  22. Gravity: The attraction of bodies toward the center of the earth.
  23. Anti-gravity: The idea of creating a place or object that is free from the force of gravity.
  24. Hostile: Very unfriendly, strongly opposed to somebody or something
  25. Humanoid: Describes a being from another planet that has the appearance or characteristics of a human
  26. Hyperspace: A fictional space in which laws of physics may be circumvented allowing faster-than-light travel or time travel.
  27. Hyperdrive: Propulsion systems that allow starships to enter hyperspace to traverse the vast distances of space at faster-than-light speeds
  28. Interstellar: Occurring among/ between stars
  29. Mortal: Relating to human beings, eventually dying
  30. Mutation: Change in genetic material
  31. Nebula: An interstellar cloud of dust, hydrogen gas and plasma
  32. Nova: A star that suddenly increases dramatically in brightness and then fades to its original luminosity over a short period of months or years
  33. Super nova: A stellar explosion that creates an extremely luminous object
  34. Positronic brain: A computer cpu with the capacity to rival a human brain.
  35. Relativity: Refers to Einstein’s theory on the gravitational pull on objects
  36. Robot: A mechanical device that can be programmed to carry out instructions and perform complicated tasks usually done by people
  37. Satellite: Device that orbits a planet
  38. Sentient: Capable of feeling and perception
  39. Speed of light: 186,000 miles per second, a speed impossible to exceed according to Einstein’s theories of relativity
  40. Starship: A spaceship designed to travel between stars or star systems, as yet existing only in
  41. Science fiction technology: The study, development, and application of devices, machines, and techniques for manufacturing and productive processes
  42. Teleportation: To move something using mental power or without traveling
  43. Terraforming: Modifying a planet, moon, or other body so its atmosphere, temperature, or ecology is similar to those of earth in order to make it habitable by humans.
  44. Time paradox: An impossible situation created by traveling back through time, for example, when a man travels back and kills his father, so that he himself could never exist
  45. Time travel: Moving backward or forward in time
  46. Time warp: A hypothetical distortion in the continuum of space-time, allowing time to stand still or people to travel from one time to another
  47. Time/space continuum: The theory that space and time are interconnected. Theory that allows for time travel.
  48. Ufo (unidentified flying object): A flying object that cannot be identified and is thought by some to be an alien spacecraft
  49. Utopia: An ideal and perfect place or state where everyone lives in harmony and everything is for the best

Quick Links

  1. Science Vocabulary Words with Meanings
  2. Space and Astronomy Vocabulary Words