terrarium

American  

[tuh-rair-ee-uhm] / təˈrɛər i əm /

noun

plural

terrariums, terraria

1. a vivarium for land animals (aquarium ).

2. a glass container, chiefly or wholly enclosed, for growing and displaying plants.

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terrarium British  

/ tɛˈrɛərɪəm /

noun

1. an enclosure for keeping small land animals

2. a glass container, often a globe, in which plants are grown

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Etymology

Origin of terrarium

First recorded in 1885–90; terr(a) + -arium

Compare meaning

How does terrarium compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• vivarium vs. terrarium

Example Sentences

"They're quite territorial so we keep them in their own terrariums and we keep the room very humid to mimic their natural environment," Prof Woods explained.

From BBC

Lizard houses, as previously noted, were as much like terrariums as they could be without compromising privacy; they were one of the few animals who kept spare sheets of glass everywhere.

From Literature

There was a basketball court, wading pools, a library, a terrarium, chess tables, a gym, bicycles and a snack room filled entirely with products from Feastables, Donaldson’s snack company.

From The Wall Street Journal

The American remake of “The Office” transformed the blank environs of an office supplies wholesaler into an adorable terrarium.

From Salon

She wanted a big rose garden inside her house, he said, “and it was almost like a terrarium. It was gorgeous when it bloomed.”

From Los Angeles Times