diegetic

American  

[dahy-uh-jet-ik] / ˌdaɪ əˈdʒɛt ɪk /

adjective

1. (of a story) told by a narrator.

   Interspersed throughout the movie are diegetic scenes in which the offscreen present-day protagonist comments—usually scathingly—on the behavior of his former self.

2. happening within or being the created world of a story: In the Marvel cinematic universe, multiple separate superhero films take place within a single diegetic world.

   Diegetic sound—the creaking timbers of a ship at sea, the cries of gulls on the beach—pulls the viewer into the world of the movie.

   In the Marvel cinematic universe, multiple separate superhero films take place within a single diegetic world.

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Etymology

Origin of diegetic

First recorded in 1895–1900; from Greek diēgētikόs “(pertaining to a) narrative”

Example Sentences

Every body slap and stomp is part of the rhythm and the music of it, because it couldn’t just be where diegetic audio fades out and then there’s this great, wonderful piece.

From Los Angeles Times

The show’s music producer, George Drakoulias, is a master of the flawless diegetic needle drop, as when Mark S. finishes his seemingly endless project to the sound of The Alan Parsons Project’s banger “Sirius.”

From Salon

Tense discussions of life-altering events are matched by the diegetic decibels of smooth jazz or string symphonies.

From Salon

Even committed realists can work within the musical genre, with an entirely diegetic score and a narrative framed around a concert or a performance.

From Los Angeles Times

Anchored by its intricate sound design, which expertly blends score, diegetic sound and the thoughtful use of aural perspective, the series rejects potboiler rhythms in favor of a foreboding psychological chill.

From Los Angeles Times