future historyn.
/ˌfjuːtʃə ˈhɪst(ə)ri/, U.S. /ˌfjutʃər ˈhɪst(ə)ri/ 1. The future course of events, esp. as it is presently envisaged, as it was formerly predicted, or as it may be viewed by ensuing generations. Also: the present as it may be regarded by posterity; future perspective on the present or past.
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the world > existence and causation > occurrence > future events > [noun]
futuresc1374
the futurea1616
future history1650
futurity1651
futurity1664
1650 (title) A brief description of the future history of Europe, from anno 1650 to an. 1710.
1661 W. Paulet To Ingenious Author in A. Brome Songs & Other Poems All this we learn from thee; go on and be A miracle in future history.
1797 R. Cumberland False Impressions iii. i Yours has been a life of themes for future history.
1858 W. Whelwell Hist. Inductive Sci. (ed. 3) II. 362 I may quote a few words from Theophrastus, which may serve to connect him with the future history of the science.
1887 A. Cambridge Unspoken Thoughts 117 Let future history say Which are the greatest criminals to-day.
1930 J. Dewey Human Nature & Conduct (new ed.) iii. iii. 190 Each conflicting habit and impulse..unrolls a picture of its future history, of the career it would have if it were given head.
1975 P. Vergo Art in Vienna 1898–1918 i. 9 The self-styled ‘liberal’ bourgeoisie had—significantly for the future history of Europe—failed to usurp the political power of the aristocracy.
2001 Washington Times (Electronic ed.) 15 Sept. Much of the future history of this century may depend on what the American people and the American government do in response to the worst assault on the continental United States in more than a century.
2. A fictional narrative of imagined future events; (Science Fiction) a fictional, self-contained, consistent, chronological framework (esp. realized across a body of work); (also) the subgenre of science fiction that uses such a framework.
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society > leisure > the arts > literature > prose > narrative or story > science fiction, etc. > [noun] > speculative fiction
future history1871
speculative fiction1953
1871 A. Hayward (title) The second Armada: a chapter of future history.
1893 A. Donovan (title) The Irish rebellion of 1898: a chapter in future history.
1937 N. F. Stanley Let. in Thrilling Wonder Stories Aug. 120/2 An extended outline of future ‘history’ somewhat along the line of the first installment of ‘Zarnak’.
1941 J. Campbell in Astounding Sci.-Fiction Feb. 67 All Heinlein's science-fiction is laid against a common background of a proposed future history of the world and of the United States.
1975 L. Niven Tales of Known Space p. xi Future histories tend to be chaotic. They grow from a common base, from individual stories with common assumptions; but each story must—to be fair to readers—stand by itself. The future history chronicled in the Known Space Series is as chaotic as real history.
1991 J. Varley Steel Beach (1993) Author's Note 567 This story appears to be part of a future history of mine, often called the Eight Worlds. It does share background, characters, and technology with earlier stories of mine, which is part of the future history tradition. What it doesn't share is a chronology.
2001 Guardian 6 Aug. 18/1 In the great tradition of SF, many of Anderson's tales are linked in a loose ‘future history’ in three main sequences.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, March 2002; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1650