English
solarpunk
From solar + -punk, modeled after cyberpunk and steampunk.
Formed from solar + -punk
Proto-Indo-European *sóh₂wl̥ ‘sun’
Latin sōl ‘sun’
Latin sōlāris ‘of or pertaining to the sun’
Middle English solar
English solar
The story
Coined by John Robert in 2008 in his blog Republic of the Bees.
Today it means
noun A literary, artistic, and social movement that focuses on community, sustainability, technology powered by renewable energy, and a free and egalitarian society.
Sources
Sources: Wiktionary, “solarpunk”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.
Etymograph / solarpunk