Usually Diaspora. the scattering of the Jews from the ancient kingdoms of Israel and Judah following the dissolution of those kingdoms and Babylonian captivity.
Often Diaspora.
the body of Jews living in countries outside Israel.
such countries collectively.
Passover is celebrated for seven days in Israel, but for eight days by Jews living in the Diaspora.
Often Diaspora. any group that has been dispersed outside its traditional homeland, especially involuntarily, as Africans during the trans-Atlantic slave trade.
any group migration or flight from a country or region.
any religious group living as a minority among people of the prevailing religion.
the spread or dissemination of something originally confined to a local, homogeneous group, as a language or cultural institution.
the diaspora of English as a global language.
the dispersion of the Jews after the Babylonian and Roman conquests of Palestine
the Jewish communities outside Israel
the Jews living outside Israel
the extent of Jewish settlement outside Israel
(in the New Testament) the body of Christians living outside Palestine
(often not capital) a dispersion or spreading, as of people originally belonging to one nation or having a common culture
the descendants of Sub-Saharan African peoples living anywhere in the Western hemisphere
—“To the Diaspora”: A 1981 poem by African American poet Gwendolyn Brooks. — Diaspora: A 1997 science fiction novel by Australian author Greg Egan.
First recorded in 1690–1700; from Greek diasporá “scattering, dispersion”; see origin at dia-, spore
A diaspora is a large group of people with a similar heritage or homeland who have since moved out to places all over the world. The term diaspora comes from an ancient Greek word meaning "to scatter about." And that's exactly what the people of a diaspora do — they scatter from their homeland to places across the globe, spreading their culture as they go. The Bible refers to the Diaspora of Jews exiled from Israel by the Babylonians. But the word is now also used more generally to describe any large migration of refugees, language, or culture.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
For decades, the Mexican government has tried building bridges, a soft-power initiative known as acercamiento — or coming together — with its rising global diaspora.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 11, 2026
So is the proud Iranian diaspora showing up en masse to mostly support Team Melli twice, in draws with New Zealand and Belgium.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 11, 2026
"But in 2026, it is now the largest diaspora community within Australia. It has outstripped the British, which is a huge demographic change," she told AFP.
From Barron's ● Jul. 9, 2026
Private banks, private companies of meaningful scale, foreign investment and diaspora capital are the preconditions for an independent economic base.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026
The history, the location, the alumni combined to create The Mecca—the crossroads of the black diaspora.
From "Between the World and Me" by Ta-Nehisi Coates
In 1969, the son of the Diaspora finally visited Israel.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026
Of the 600,000 or so Iranians living in the U.S., about half are in California, according to the Iranian Diaspora Dashboard produced by UCLA’s Center of Near Eastern Studies.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 7, 2026
"Organisations that have failed to meet required security and transparency standards will have their licenses suspended," the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism said in a statement on Thursday.
From Barron's ● Jan. 1, 2026
The Ministry of Diaspora Affairs said that fewer than 15% of organisations providing humanitarian assistance to Gaza were found to be in violation of the new regulatory framework.
From BBC ● Dec. 30, 2025
Their children were deeply involved and inspired by their parents’ mission to encourage self-reliance and uphold a sense of empowerment for people of the African Diaspora.
From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey
In the 19th and 20th centuries, it helped the city become a bustling metropolis, home to sizable European diasporas and a distinct cosmopolitan culture.
From Barron's ● Feb. 25, 2026
Gambling has long been a fixture in Black diasporas in America, cherished and bemoaned in equal parts, going back to the 18th century.
From Salon ● Feb. 8, 2026
She’s made waves with No Nazar, a DJ collective she co-founded that hosts parties across the country that highlight the music of the Caribbean and African diasporas.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2024
It was these diasporas that would offer a foothold to the game in America.
From BBC ● May 29, 2024
Canada, home to one of the world's largest Ukrainian diasporas, is a vocal supporter of Kyiv.
From Reuters ● Sep. 17, 2023
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
