Diaspora
Etymology
From Greek "diaspora" (a scattering), from "dia" (across) and "speirein" (to sow, scatter). It first named the dispersion of Jews beyond ancient Israel, then broadened to any community — Armenian, African, Irish — spread across many lands.
noun · /dy-AS-por-uh/
A population scattered far from its original homeland, or the scattering itself.
What it names
A compact handle for a people dispersed across the world yet still bound by a shared origin and identity.
Example
The festival drew members of the Vietnamese diaspora from a dozen countries.
Related idea
A diaspora keeps a lasting tie to its homeland; a refugee names a legal status of forced flight — a snapshot rather than a dispersed, enduring community.
See also