terrarium
(tɛˈrɛərɪəm)
Pl. -a or (now more usually) -iums.
[mod. f. L. terra earth, after aquarium. Also in Fr. (1873 in Littré Suppl.) and Ger. (Meyer Conv. Lex.).]
1. A vivarium for land animals; esp. a glass case, or the like, in which small land animals are kept under scientific observation.
| 1890 Science 10 Jan. 24/2 [He] describes the ways of a snake,..which he kept in his terrarium in Zurich. 1895 Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 160 Usually after they have lived for some time in the terrarium they get dark spots, especially on the sides of the body. 1952 M. K. Wilson tr. Lorenz's King Solomon's Ring vii. 67 On the table..stands the nucleus of my golden hamster stud, a simple little terrarium. 1976 N. Coleman Shell Collecting in Australia ix. 149 The larger the terrarium and the smaller the number of snails, the less work will be involved in keeping it sanitary. 1977 Sci. Amer. Dec. 36/1 Spiders and scorpions in neat terrariums. |
2. A sealed transparent globe or similar container in which plants are grown, usu. for decoration. Cf. Wardian case. orig. U.S.
| 1931 St. Nicholas Oct. 846/1 Have you ever tried making a terrarium?.. It means a little garden under glass—not a conservatory or a cold frame, but a real little landscape. 1942 Amer. Speech XVII. 284/1 He also saw on his rambles a Terrarium—a covered glass globe or fish-tank containing flowers and plants to be grown indoors during the winter. 1974 Evening Herald (Rock Hill, S. Carolina) 19 Apr. 6/5 (Advt.), Globe shaped terrarium kit... A unique way to display foliage. 1979 Sunday Mail (Brisbane) 6 May 5/1 (Advt.), Terrariums add life to any room. In long lasting plastic; each containing an African violet plus three other selected plants. 1982 N.Y. Times 11 Apr. ii. 33/4 Partridgeberry..is often used in terrariums for its evergreen foliage and red berries. |