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menagerie

noun
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me·​nag·​er·​ie | \ mə-ˈnaj-rē, -ˈna-jə- How to pronounce menagerie (audio) also -ˈnazh-rē, -ˈna-zhə- \

Definition of menagerie

1a : a place where animals are kept and trained especially for exhibition
b : a collection of wild or foreign animals kept especially for exhibition
2 : a varied mixture a menagerie of comedians — TV Guide A menagerie of grotesque statues stood in the garden.
Synonyms Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about menagerie

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Did You Know?

Back in the days of Middle French, ménagerie meant "the management of a household" or farm or "a place where animals are tended." By the 1670s, English speakers had adopted the word but dropped its housekeeping aspects, applying it specifically to the places where circuses and other exhibitions kept show animals. Later, the word was generalized to refer to any varied mixture, especially one that includes things that are strange or foreign to one's experience.

Examples of menagerie in a Sentence

a menagerie of rare creatures the living room is eclectically furnished with a menagerie of garage-sale finds
Recent Examples on the Web Haenke's watercolor depicts a menagerie of children's playthings, rocking horse, teddy bear, toy soldier, train set, etc., spilling from a toy chest. — Matt Wake | Mwake@al.com, al, "Is Bama’s mascot on this classic Aerosmith album cover?," 11 Feb. 2020 Over the years, Biden has amassed a menagerie of trusted counselors. — Philip Elliott / Goffstown, Time, "After A Rocky Start in Iowa, Joe Biden Shakes Up His Campaign," 8 Feb. 2020 In the back, a garden houses a small menagerie and several specialty shops. — Washington Post, "The western Virginia town that raised a forward-thinking first lady," 10 Jan. 2020 The colonists brought with them a menagerie of new predators including two more species of rat, mice, cats, stoats, weasels and ferrets from Europe, and possums from Australia. — Sarah Lazarus, CNN, "Can tech save the kakapo, New Zealand's 'gorgeous, hilarious' parrot?," 26 Dec. 2019 On the right, there are tanks of live seafood; on the left, a hanging menagerie of barbecue, including glistening ducks, chickens, and whole pigs. — Hannah Goldfield, The New Yorker, "Green Garden Village, a New Chinatown Institution," 13 Dec. 2019 The ever-busy Nicolas Cage is trapped on a ship that’s carrying a menacing menagerie. — Ben Kenigsberg, New York Times, "Holiday Movies 2019: Here’s What’s Coming Soon to Theaters," 1 Nov. 2019 The organization now boasts 78 housing units, 11 vocational training programs, a partnership with Cuyahoga Community College, a life-skills center, a diverse menagerie including therapeutic horses, several business ventures and more. — cleveland, "Medina Creative Housing’s Fall Festival inspires and entertains," 7 Oct. 2019 The farm houses hundreds of plant and fruit varieties, plus a menagerie of goats, cows, chickens, pigs and other animals. — Daily Pilot, "O.C. Fair has a farm, and it’s turning 30 — Centennial Farm will ring in milestone with birthday barbecue," 3 Oct. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'menagerie.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of menagerie

1676, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

History and Etymology for menagerie

French ménagerie, from Middle French, management of a household or farm, from menage

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Time Traveler for menagerie

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The first known use of menagerie was in 1676

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Last Updated

12 Mar 2020

Cite this Entry

“Menagerie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/menagerie. Accessed 1 Apr. 2020.

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More Definitions for menagerie

menagerie

noun
How to pronounce menagerie (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of menagerie

: a collection of animals kept especially to be shown to the public

See the full definition for menagerie in the English Language Learners Dictionary

menagerie

noun
me·​nag·​er·​ie | \ mə-ˈna-jə-rē How to pronounce menagerie (audio) \

Kids Definition of menagerie

: a collection of wild animals kept especially to be shown to the public

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More from Merriam-Webster on menagerie

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for menagerie

Spanish Central: Translation of menagerie

Nglish: Translation of menagerie for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about menagerie

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