interworld adj.

between or occurring between planets

  • 1937 J. B. Walter Scientifacts in Thrilling Wonder Stories Dec. 53/1 page image

    There is but one place where the absolute zero of temperature can exist; in outer space between the distant stars. Here it is said the temperature is 273 degrees below centigrade zero. But if an inter-world traveler were equipped to breathe properly and resist the change in pressure he could step out upon the wing of his plane and remain there for a long time without discomfort from the cold.

  • 1938 R. Z. Gallun Hotel Cosmos in Astounding Science-Fiction July 146/2 Raymond Z. Gallun

    At least Dave couldn’t cause any real inter-world complications here.

  • 1944 L. Brackett Veil of Astellar in Thrilling Wonder Stories Spring 50/1 page image Leigh Brackett bibliography

    A little over a year ago, Solar Arbitrary Time, a message rocket dropped into the receiving chute at the Interworld Space Authority headquarters on Mars.

  • 1946 ‘H. Clement’ Cold Front in Astounding Science Fiction July 43/2 Hal Clement

    With interplanetary and interstellar travel, an already existing and working form of interworld government, with our knowledge of space and time and matter which cropped up occasionally and inevitably in my conversations with Serrnak Deg, it was glaringly obvious to them that our civilization was materially far in advance of theirs; that their achievements, compared to ours, were childish.

  • 1948 N. Loomis Mr. Zytztz Goes To Mars in Thrilling Wonder Stories Aug. 20/2

    Well, they got back to Earth in fourteen days. They delivered the three Zytztes to the World Council, which during their absence had been re-named the Inter-World Council, and already the video-casters called it the I. W. C.

  • 1952 M. Sherman Matter of Faith in Space Science Fiction Sept. 66/2

    It was easy, too, to enter the planet Grekh; you just boarded an interworld ferry from either of the two sister-planets, Pittam or Speewry.

  • 1957 R. A. Heinlein Double Star (back cover) Robert A. Heinlein

    The stakes—Peace with the Martians if he succeeds, and colonial union with the democratic inter-world empire.

  • 1962 ‘C. Smith’ Ballad of Lost C’mell in T. Shippey Oxford Book of Science Fiction (1992) 306 Cordwainer Smith

    Sport is international, interrace, interworld, interspecies.

  • 2011 C. Miéville Embassytown 88 page image China Miéville bibliography

    Interworld trade might come only every few thousand hours, but it was backed by and built on exhaustive, careful negotiation. With the arrival of each immership, terms agreed between Staff and Hosts (with the imprimatur of Bremen’s representative) were communicated, the vessel would leave with those details and Ariekene goods and tech, returning on its next round with whatever we had promised the Ariekei in return. They were patient.


Research requirements

antedating 1937

Earliest cite

J.B. Walter, 'Scientifacts'

Research History
Fred Galvin submitted a cite from a 1953 reprint of Hugh Frazier Parker's 1943 "The Sword of Johnny Damokles".
Fred Galvin submitted a 1948 cite from Noel Loomis's "Mr. Zytztz Goes to Mars".
Fred Galvin submitted a cite from a 1977 reprint of Leigh Brackett's 1944 "The Veil of Astellar"; Jesse Sheidlower verified it in the original publication in Thrilling Wonder Stories.
Fred Galvin submitted a 1946 cite from Hal Clement's "Cold Front".
Fred Galvin submitted a 1955 cite from Jack Vance's "Meet Miss Universe".
Fred Galvin submitted a 1952 cite from Michael Sherman's "A Matter of Faith".
Fred Galvin submitted a 1957 cite from a cover blurb on Robert A. Heinlein's "Double Star".
Fred Galvin submitted a cite for "inter-world" from a 1978 reprint of Raymond Z. Gallun's "Hotel Cosmos"; Mike Christie verified this in its original publication in Astounding, July 1938.
Fred Galvin submitted a 1937 cite for "inter-world" from a feature article "SCIENTIFACTS", by J. B. Walter, in Thrilling Wonder Stories.
Ben Ostrowsky submitted a 2011 cite from China Miéville's "Embassytown".

Last modified 2021-08-18 11:57:41
In the compilation of some entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries in OED.