vitrine

noun

vi·​trine və-ˈtrēn 

: a glass showcase or cabinet especially for displaying fine wares or specimens

Did you know?

The history of "vitrine" is clear as glass. It comes to English by way of the Old French word vitre, meaning "pane of glass," from Latin vitrum, meaning "glass." "Vitrum" has contributed a number of words to the English language besides "vitrine." "Vitreous" ("resembling glass" or "relating to, derived from, or consisting of glass") is the most common of these. "Vitrify" ("to convert or become converted into glass or into a glassy substance by heat and fusion") is another. A much rarer "vitrum" word - and one that also entered English by way of "vitre" - is vitrailed, meaning "fitted with stained glass."

Examples of vitrine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Up on 71, there was that observatory, and by the elevators a vitrine held Chrysler’s toolbox, evidence of his beginnings as a railroad mechanic. —Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 27 Mar. 2026

Gehry had designed the Price exhibition in close collaboration with the artist, working through every vitrine, table, and pedestal to shape the framework through which the sculptures would be encountered. —Julian Rose, Artforum, 26 Mar. 2026

Mummy coffins lie destroyed on the ground, top, and broken antique vitrines, below, at the Sudan National Museum in April. —Eissa Dafallah, NBC news, 8 Mar. 2026

The evening signaled that this is not the type of show that will deaden an artist behind glass vitrines. —Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

French, from vitre pane of glass, from Old French, from Latin vitrum

First Known Use

1880, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for vitrine

• agin
• alkene
• allene
• ameen
• amin
• amine
• arene
• athene
• baleen
• beeline
• benzene
• between

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