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.
Broader estimates, which include people of Iranian descent, put the global Iranian diaspora between five million and eight million.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
The task force is a group of organisations representing the seven largest Jewish diaspora communities.
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
Here came another global soccer icon to Major League Soccer — and to L.A., where the South Korean sensation was welcomed enthusiastically by a Korean diaspora that’s about 250,000 strong.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2026
Australia's Indian diaspora has grown substantially in recent years, giving Modi a sizeable fanbase in the country.
From Barron's ● Jul. 9, 2026
I learned about the Jewish diaspora and the strange history of The Protocols of the Elders of Zion.
From "Educated" by Tara Westover
In 1969, the son of the Diaspora finally visited Israel.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 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
The 40-year-old father of three eventually returned and now heads Diaspora, an NGO which educates potential migrants.
From Barron's ● Oct. 19, 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
As a reporter, I knew enough about soccer culture to file stories from watch parties across Southern California’s cornucopia of diasporas every World Cup.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
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
"I do understand that it can’t be everybody in the villa, but there are beautiful people from all different diasporas that need to be represented."
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2024
Money brokers are part of large Chinese diasporas in places like Europe, the United States and Latin America.
From Reuters ● Apr. 6, 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.
