diorama

noun

di·​ora·​ma ˌdī-ə-ˈra-mə  -ˈrä- 

1

: a scenic representation in which a partly translucent painting is seen from a distance through an opening

2

a

: a scenic representation in which sculptured figures and lifelike details are displayed usually in miniature so as to blend indistinguishably with a realistic painted background

b

: a life-size exhibit (as of a wildlife specimen or scene) with realistic natural surroundings and a painted background

dioramic

ˌdī-ə-ˈra-mik 

-ˈrä-

adjective

Examples of diorama in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Freyne does a lot with a modest budget, finding smart ways to show us fantastical things — memories playing out as if dioramas at the Natural History Museum, a vast expo hall filled with stalls advertising various paradises — on an economical scale. —Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2025

As in the crowded Arsenale itself, anything more radical to be found in the pavilion is buried under dioramas and walls of texts. —Kate Wagner, Curbed, 5 Sep. 2025

In the lobby of Interlune, a 3-foot-wide tabletop diorama shows an idyllic, toy-size version of the mining operation the Seattle startup wants to build on the moon. —Jeremy Bogaisky, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025

Give space to your creativity with this DIY greenhouse kit, a miniature diorama that can be displayed on a bookshelf. —Nora Colomer May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

French, from dia- + -orama (as in panorama, from English)

First Known Use

1823, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for diorama

• panorama
• trichogramma
• gamma
• grama
• gramma

Kids Definition

diorama

noun

di·​o·​rama

ˌdī-ə-ˈram-ə,

-ˈräm-

: a scenic representation in which lifelike sculptured figures and surrounding details are realistically set against a painted background