Diaspora

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /daɪˈæspəɹə/

Alternative forms

• Diaspora in certain senses

Origin

From Ancient Greek διασπορά (diaspora, "dispersion"), from διασπείρω (diaspeirō, "I scatter"), from διά (dia, "across") + σπείρω (speirō, "I sow").

Full definition of diaspora

Noun

1. The dispersion of the Jews among the Gentiles after the Captivity.
2. Any similar dispersion.The African diaspora caused a melding of cultures, both African cultures and Western ones, in many places.
3. A group so dispersed, especially Jews outside of the land of Israel.
4. The regions where such a dispersed group (especially the Jews) resides, taken collectively.Jews in the diaspora often have a different perspective of anti-Semitism from Israeli Jews.
5. Any dispersion of an originally homogeneous entity, such as a language or culture.
• 1988, Joseph Foley, New Englishes: the case of Singapore, Small wonder that there should have been in recent years fresh talk of the diaspora of English into several mutually incomprehensible languages

Derived terms

• diasporan