diorama

American  

[dahy-uh-ram-uh, -rah-muh] / ˌdaɪ əˈræm ə, -ˈrɑ mə /

noun

• dioramas
  plural

1. a scene, often in miniature, reproduced in three dimensions by placing objects, figures, etc., in front of a painted background.

2. a life-size display representing a scene from nature, a historical event, or the like, using stuffed wildlife, wax figures, real objects, etc., in front of a painted or photographed background.

3. a spectacular picture, partly translucent, for exhibition through an aperture, made more realistic by various illuminating devices.

4. a building or room, often circular, for exhibiting such a scene or picture, especially as a continuous unit along or against the walls.

---

diorama British  

/ ˌdaɪəˈrɑːmə /

noun

1. a miniature three-dimensional scene, in which models of figures are seen against a background

2. a picture made up of illuminated translucent curtains, viewed through an aperture

3. a museum display, as of an animal, of a specimen in its natural setting

4. films a scene produced by the rearrangement of lighting effects

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• dioramic
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• dioramas
  plural

Etymology

Origin of diorama

1815–25; < French, equivalent to di- di- ³ + Greek ( h ) órāma view ( horā-, variant stem of horân to see, look + -ma noun suffix denoting the result of action)

Explanation

If you use a shoebox and tiny toys to recreate the Battle of Normandy, you are creating a diorama, or three-dimensional model, of the event. At the Museum of Natural History in New York, you'll see dioramas, or scenes of animals or ancient peoples in their habitats. Before things like movies, television, and computers became common, the best way for large numbers of people to get an idea of what a lion might look like devouring its prey was by diorama.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

diorama dioramas

Despite these hardships, they formed a community, depicted by a slave-cabin diorama and a display of everyday artifacts found on the property, such as tobacco pipes, a jaw harp, pottery and other items.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026

"It successfully generated enough formic acid to power a miniature diorama in the pavilion, showing its potential as an efficient artificial photosynthesis system that could potentially be used to charge applications in our homes."

From Science Daily ● Jun. 11, 2026

A life-size diorama attempts to bring the battlefield to life.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 15, 2026

Although closed years ago, the “Crystal Cave” started as a mini diorama of a small village of animals and houses in the cafe’s doughnut case, Zena Carr said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 6, 2024

The scene below seemed to unfold as if it were a vast diorama in a lighted case.

From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown

With the overhead lights dimmed and soft light spilling from the dioramas, the displays looked like windows to other worlds.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026

I was at a sound bath in the North American Mammal Hall at L.A.’s Natural History Museum, surrounded by dioramas of taxidermy, meditative instruments and sound healers from the Oso Sound Healing Studio.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026

Major battles are retold using dioramas, interactive maps and narratives that focus on the broader war between the upstart colonists and the British.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 18, 2025

According to Axios, Trump has had models and dioramas built for other projects he is considering and has directed how and where new marble-tiled floors would be laid in the White House.

From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2025

He did not take any interest in the discarded skins of famous goblin heroes and actors, despite all of the interesting dioramas.

From "The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge" by M.T. Anderson and Eugene Yelchin