positronic

English

Etymology

From positron +‎ -ic. The science fiction sense was coined by American science fiction author Isaac Asimov in 1941 in his short story "Liar!".

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /pɒz.ɪˈtɹɒn.ɪk/

Adjective

positronic (not comparable)

1. Of or pertaining to positrons.
   • 1937 September 1, Clifford Holley, Seymour Bernstein, “Grating Space of Barium-Copper-Stearate Films”, in Physical Review, volume 52, page 525:

     The element bombarded should be of high isotopic content, and should not give any other positronic radioelement whose lifetime is comparable to the one looked for.

2. (science fiction) Of or pertaining to a supposed analogue of electronics using positrons
   • 1941 May, Isaac Asimov, “Liar!”, in Astounding Science-Fiction, volume 27, number 3:

     By exact count, there are seventy-five thousand, two hundred and thirty-four operations necessary for the manufacture of a single positronic brain.

Antonyms

• electronic

Translations

Translations

• Czech: positronový
• Italian: positronico (it)
• Portuguese:

  Brazilian: positrônico

  European: positrónico

• Russian: позитро́нный (ru) (pozitrónnyj)
• Spanish: positrónico (es)

References

• Jeff Prucher, editor (2007), “positronic”, in Brave New Words: The Oxford Dictionary of Science Fiction, Oxford, Oxfordshire, New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 151.
• Jesse Sheidlower, editor (2001–2024), “positronic adj.”, in Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction.

Anagrams

• inotropics, post-ironic, postironic