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Definition of steampunk

steampunk

/ˈstiːm.pʌŋk/
steam · punk
Plural:steampunks
•
Adjective:steampunk
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steampunk Lexical Profile

steampunk Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A subgenre of science fiction and speculative fiction that incorporates retrofuturistic technology and aesthetic designs inspired by 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery.

Example

"The novel is a classic work of steampunk set in an alternate Victorian London filled with brass airships and mechanical automatons."

2

A style of design, fashion, and art that combines historical Victorian elements with anachronistic technological features such as exposed gears, brass fittings, and clockwork mechanisms.

Example

"The cafe's interior was decorated in elaborate steampunk, featuring copper pipes and vintage industrial gauges."

• adjective

1

Relating to or characteristic of the steampunk genre or its neo-Victorian mechanical aesthetic.

Example

"She designed a steampunk costume complete with a leather corset, brass goggles, and decorative clockwork gears."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for steampunk

• Nearby Words

steamer
steamily
steaminess
steampunk
steamroll
steamroller
steamship

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in 1987 by American science fiction author K. W. Jeter as a playful variation on 'cyberpunk' to describe speculative fiction set in a steam-powered Victorian era.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Steampunk. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/steampunk
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