vitrina

Vitrina is a term with several related meanings in the Spanish-speaking world and in English. In retail and collections contexts, a vitrina is a display case or showcase—typically a cabinet with glass panels designed to present items such as merchandise, trophies, or artifacts while protecting them from handling. Museums, shops, and homes use vitrinas to allow visibility from multiple angles and to organize items in an aesthetically arranged display.

In everyday usage, vitrina can also refer to a storefront display window or the display area outside a shop where goods are arranged to attract customers. In many Spanish-speaking regions, the word is used interchangeably with vitrina, though regional variations in meaning can occur.

In biology, Vitrina is a genus of small, air-breathing land snails in the family Vitrinidae. These “glass snails” have translucent shells and are typically found in damp, shaded habitats. The genus Vitrina is the type genus of its family, and species within it occupy various parts of Europe and neighboring regions.

Etymology: The term originates from Latin vitrum meaning glass and is related to the root vitr- and vitrin-, entering Romance languages via French vitrine, which influenced the noun vitrina in Spanish and related terms in other languages.

See also: vitrine, display case, glass cabinet, glassware.