Terrarium
/tɛˈreə.ri.əm/noun
A transparent container, usually with soil and plants, used for keeping small land-dwelling organisms or miniature gardens.
Did you know?Terrarium comes from Latin terra, meaning “earth” or “land,” and the same root also lives in words like terrestrial and terrain, all pointing back to the ground beneath us.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
terra
“earth, land, dry ground”
Late Latin
Latin
terrarium
“a place or vessel connected with earth or land”
19th Century
English
terrarium
“a glass container for keeping land plants or small land animals”
Modern English
English
terrarium
“a sealed or open container used to display and grow miniature ecosystems”
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