STEAMPUNK Definition & Meaning

steampunk

Or steam punk,

[steem-puhngk]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

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

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of steampunk¹

First recorded in 1985–90; modeled on cyberpunk

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Am I the only one who didn’t know that T-Pain had gone steampunk?

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He checked out the costume department too, where he saw a steampunk outfit with a lot of holes, hooks and tartan.

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Cirque Mechanics, a troupe with a giddy steampunk aesthetic, has produced five previous shows at the New Victory.

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The film is chock full of black humor set against steampunk visual design.

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The other takes place in an isolated black-and-white world that transforms, “Wizard of Oz” style, into a flashy, steampunk domain.

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When To Use

What does steampunk mean?

Steampunk is a subgenre of science fiction and fantasy that features advanced machinery based on the steam-powered technology of the 1800s. It is typically set in a recognizable historical period or fantasy world. Steampunk is also an aesthetic movement that is inspired by this literary subgenre and by 19th-century technology in general, especially the steam engine.

steam point steam reforming

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