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

With immersive exhibits, lifelike dioramas and a petting zoo that prioritizes interaction over spectacle, this attraction south of Cincinnati offers a gentler, more thoughtful lens on our relationship with the animal kingdom. —David Dickstein, Oc Register, 17 Sep. 2025

The museum has surreal dioramas that blend themes of karmic justice with cultural storytelling. —Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 14 Sep. 2025

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

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