steampunk

or steam punk, steam-punk

[ steem-puhngk ]

noun
  1. a subgenre of science fiction and fantasy featuring advanced machines and other technology based on steam power of the 19th century and taking place in a recognizable historical period or a fantasy world.

  2. a subculture inspired by this literary and film subgenre: the fashions and gadgets of steampunk.

Origin of steampunk

1
First recorded in 1985–90; modeled on cyberpunk

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023