Meanings
nounhard science fiction (uncountable)
- uncountableliteratureA subgenre of science fiction that focuses on technical detail and scientific accuracy.
Antonyms: soft science fiction
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA subgenre of science fiction that focuses on technical detail and scientific accuracy.
Opposite
Origin
Coined by American critic P. Schuyler Miller in 1957.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
hard science fiction. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hard%20science%20fiction
MLA
“hard science fiction.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hard%20science%20fiction. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hard science fiction,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hard%20science%20fiction.
Source: hard science fiction on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.