CultureAugust 31, 2026

steampunk

STEEN-punk

Definition

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

Etymology

The term was coined in the late 1980s as a play on 'cyberpunk,' substituting 'steam' to reflect the Victorian-era technological setting characteristic of the genre.

In the news

A student in a philosophy class used a 'steampunk font' on her festival flyer to give it a specific, retro-futuristic artistic flair.

‘I made a promise to myself’: How higher education is transforming lives in Wyoming prisons

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WyoFile

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