Vitrine
/vɪˈtriːn/noun
A glass-fronted cabinet or case used for displaying objects.
Did you know?Vitrine ultimately traces to Latin vitrum, “glass,” the same root that produced medieval Latin vitriolum, an old name for sulfate minerals that inspired the word “vitriol.”
Etymological Timeline
Classical Antiquity
Latin
vitrum
“Glass; also a blue dye or woad in some contexts”
Medieval Latin
Latin
vitreus
“Made of glass; glassy”
17th Century
French
vitre
“A pane or sheet of glass”
18th Century
French
vitrine
“A glass display case or cabinet”
19th Century
English
vitrine
“A glass-fronted case for displaying objects”