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.

   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

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

From Salon • Sep. 25, 2025

The music, in this case, arises not from a conventional score, but rather from the diegetic accompaniments of soup bubbling in a pot, butter sizzling in a pan and utensils scraping against crockery.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 15, 2023

But the finished film, which featured a landmark diegetic soundtrack, a vibrant young cast and a strong vein of hopeful, Kennedy-era nostalgia, captured the imagination of audiences and redefined the teen movie.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 9, 2023

When the film is buoyant, it is through its blending of diegetic music and traditional scoring to create the auditory equivalent of a tracking shot.

From New York Times • Jul. 28, 2022

Transferring any story from screen to stage is a big lift, and the addition of diegetic music—the dreaded-by-some “people randomly bursting into song” effect—raises the degree of difficulty even higher.

From Slate • May 21, 2021