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.
The show, which opens Sunday, features a scrim that has been hand-painted with the notes of Mozart’s “Phantasie für eine Orgelwalze.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 13, 2026
Scene 2, a scrim projection informs us, takes place eight years later, moving us back into the time frame of the original libretto.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 2, 2026
The latter song featured a big surprise: actor Dakota Johnson spoke from behind a scrim as the titular character and then appeared next to Allen when the song ended.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 14, 2025
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
Lawrence, viewing the meeting through the scrim of his boundless optimism, overlooked these off-key notes, detecting only a resounding validation of his vision.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
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.
