5 Star Wars Terms That Snuck Their Way into English Dictionaries

5. Blaster (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

Today, blasters are one of the most classic science-fictional weapons you can find not only in Star Wars but in most other sci-fi settings from Mass Effect to Fallout. But we have to give credit where it's due, and it was George Lucas who made the idea of a gun shooting with energy so popular. Waser Wiffles of all sorts started with him.

As per the dictionary, a blaster is mostly defined by firing bolts of energy rather than more traditional projectiles. This is pretty accurate, so whenever someone crawls from under a rock and asks about blasters, point them to Merriam-Webster.

4. Lightsaber (Oxford English Dictionary)

While the idea of blasters kind of seems like a community achievement, for the most part, lightsabers are totally associated with Star Wars. These iconic weapons allow for cool blade-wielding scenes in a sci-fi setting, and they are among the most famous artifacts of George Lucas's world that many tried to…creatively borrow.

The dictionary defines a lightsaber as a sword-like weapon with a powerful light beam instead of a traditional blade. Since lightsabers don't only belong in Star Wars anymore, we don't mind the distinct lack of explanation of how lightsabers work.

3. Droid (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

From weapons to more civilian tech, we find ourselves looking at a shortened version of the previously existing world. "Droid" is the same old "android" that sounds dope, and in the Star Wars franchise, this word is used for virtually any mechanical being which is kind of weird. Droids also found their way into the English language.

Merriam-Webster doesn't even provide a standalone definition for "droid," marking it as a derivative of "android" that appeared by shortening the original word. It fails, however, to specify the difference between androids and droids as per Star Wars.

2. Hyperspace (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

The concept of hyperspace is a must for any space sci-fi setting as it's the only way to semi-scientifically explain fast long-distance travels in outer space. While making it from point A to point B at the speed of light might take tens of thousands of years, hyperspace jumps allow for borderline instant transportation. Handy, isn't it?

The dictionary even uses an example of the word's usage in Star Wars apart from providing its meaning, so that's a neat little detail. But realistically, hyperspace didn't get enough attention from Merriam-Webster since its specifics were not mentioned.

1. Jedi and Padawan (Merriam-Webster & Oxford English Dictionaries)

One of the core concepts in Star Wars, the Jedi and their Padawans are those who use the Force to serve the Light. The Jedi are experienced warriors while Padawans are their apprentices who are still to undergo extensive training. Both these words are so popular that the American and British dictionaries alike included them.

Interestingly, Merriam-Webster completely ignores the Star Wars origins of these terms: it claims that a Jedi is a highly skilled individual while a Padawan is someone inexperienced or naive. The Oxford English Dictionary, however, gives credit to Star Wars for these words' very existence.