# diaspora

/daɪˈæspɝə/ (US) · /daɪˈæspəɹɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/diaspora
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. dispersed population

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic

a group of people who live outside their original homeland but keep their cultural connections.

For teachers: the collective body of people who have migrated away from their ancestral homeland while maintaining cultural or emotional ties to it.

- The Irish diaspora has had a huge influence on music and culture in the United States.
- Scholars often study how the African diaspora has shaped the political and social landscapes of the Caribbean and South America.

Usage: Usually used with 'the' and often followed by 'of' to specify the group.

### 2. the act of spreading

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic

the movement or spreading of a group of people or a culture away from its starting point.

For teachers: the process of dispersion of an originally homogeneous entity, such as a language, religion, or ethnic group.

- The diaspora of Greek culture occurred throughout the Mediterranean in ancient times.
- The rapid diaspora of tech workers from Silicon Valley to smaller cities has changed the local economy in those regions.

### 3. Jewish history

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the historical spreading of Jewish people away from Israel.

For teachers: the historical dispersion of the Jewish people from the land of Israel, or the collective body of Jews living outside of Israel.

- Many families in the Jewish diaspora still follow traditions that are centuries old.
- The Babylonian captivity is often cited as the beginning of the Jewish Diaspora in the ancient world.

Teaching tip: When referring specifically to the historical Jewish dispersion, the word is often capitalized as 'the Diaspora'.

## Examples

- The Jewish diaspora spread across many continents.
- The Indian diaspora in the UK has significantly influenced local cuisine and culture over the last fifty years.
- Scholars study the African diaspora to understand how forced migration shaped musical traditions and social structures across the Americas and Europe.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.