science fiction

American  

[sahy-uhns fik-shuhn] / ˈsaɪ əns ˈfɪk ʃən /

Also scifi,

noun

1. a form of fiction that draws imaginatively on scientific knowledge and speculation in its plot, setting, theme, etc.

---

science fiction British  

noun

1. 1. a literary genre that makes imaginative use of scientific knowledge or conjecture

   2. ( as modifier )

      a science fiction writer

---

science fiction Cultural  

1. Works of fiction that use scientific discoveries or advanced technology — either actual or imaginary — as part of their plot. Jules Verne and H. G. Wells were early writers of science fiction. More recent ones are Isaac Asimov and Ray Bradbury.

---

Etymology

Origin of science fiction

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

The script is by David Koepp of the paranoid thriller “Black Bag” and Spielberg’s 2005 version of “War of the Worlds,” yet, this plot strand about private enterprise isn’t science fiction.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026

The science fiction trilogy 3 Body Problem is based on Chinese author Liu Cixin's Remembrance of Earth's Past.

From BBC • May 26, 2026

The bonus structure, laid out in SpaceX's prospectus filed with US regulators Wednesday, reads less like a compensation agreement and more like a science fiction plot.

From Barron's • May 21, 2026

The idea of orbital solar-power systems has been around for decades, discussed in the pages of an Isaac Asimov science fiction story published in 1941 and explored at universities and government research laboratories.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 27, 2026

When the Great Six inspected my library record and found it top-heavy with adventure and science fiction, they prescribed appropriate doses of Steinbeck, Faulkner, and F. Scott Fitzgerald.

From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam

Related Words

• SF
• sci-fi