scrim
Americannoun
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a cotton or linen fabric of open weave used for bunting, curtains, etc.
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Theater. a piece of such fabric used as a drop, border, or the like, for creating the illusion of a solid wall or backdrop under certain lighting conditions or creating a semitransparent curtain when lit from behind.
noun
Etymology
Origin of scrim
First recorded in 1785–95; origin uncertain
Explanation
In the theater, scrim is gauzy, woven fabric that reflects light in interesting ways. A scene that takes place behind a scrim is mysterious and dramatic. Scrim is also a type of inexpensive, coarse material that's used in upholstery, sail making, and other industries. Theatrical scrim is much lighter, usually translucent, and is used for dramatic effect. Some types can also be used as screens for projected images, or even for clothing. The earliest known use of the word scrim, in 1791, was in the context of upholstery lining.
Vocabulary lists containing scrim
Liar, Liar
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The Many Meanings of Meilan
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The Diviners
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A scrim will cover the huge window itself so that no one outside can peer in to see who’s bidding.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 17, 2025
A fabric scrim is stretched across nearly the entire width of a large, darkened gallery, and it reaches almost from the floor to the high ceiling.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 17, 2024
Then Lee Greenwood live-performed Trump’s longtime walk-on music, “God Bless the U.S.A.,” while a scrim slowly rose to reveal an shadowed Trump on the stage, with his name written behind him.
From Slate • Aug. 23, 2024
A massive advertising scrim, the curtain served as a historical piece, showcasing Japanese American businesses that were in Seattle in the early 1900s.
From Seattle Times • Jun. 5, 2024
A scrim of fine chains lacing the window, rippling like waves though there was no breeze.
From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng
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.
