ansible

[ an-suh-buhl ]

noun

1. (in science fiction) a device for instantaneous communication, or other purposes, across cosmic distances:

   With the ansible on the fritz, it would take eleven years for their message to reach the admiral, who was waging war in another galaxy.

Word History and Origins

Origin of ansible¹

Shortening of answerable; coined by Ursula K. Le Guin in her novel Rocannon's World (1966)

Example Sentences

After the Ansible Foundation Training course, you'll be able to manage a cloud region, create playbooks, and then some.

From Salon

I said, “This is Mishnory, not Erhenrang, but the danger you are in is the same. If you cannot persuade Obsle or Yegey to let you make radio contact with your ship, so that the people aboard it can, while remaining safe, lend some support to your statements, then I think you should use your own instrument, the ansible, and call the ship down at once. The risk it will run is less than the risk you are now miming, alone.”

From Literature

It was there as insurance for just a situation as this, when my ansible was gone so that I could not ask Ollul to signal the ship, and I had not time or equipment to make direct contact with the ship in solar orbit.

From Literature

He had seen my ship, after all, the little lander that had brought me down on planet; he had free access along with anyone else to the engineers’ reports on the ship and the ansible.

From Literature

“My ansible transmitter is in the hands of the Sarf in Mishnory, presumably. However, when the ship comes down it will have an ansible aboard. I will have thenceforth, if acceptable to you, the position of Envoy Plenipotentiary of the Ekumen, and will be empowered to discuss, and sign, a treaty of alliance with Karhide. All this can be confirmed with Hain and the various Stabilities by ansible.”

From Literature