menagerie

me·nag·er·ie

noun
\mə-ˈnaj-rē, -ˈna-jə- also -ˈnazh-rē, -ˈna-zhə-\

Definition of MENAGERIE

1

a : 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>

Examples of MENAGERIE

1. a menagerie of rare creatures
2. <the living room is eclectically furnished with a menagerie of garage-sale finds>

Origin of MENAGERIE

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

First Known Use: 1676

Related to MENAGERIE

Synonyms: agglomerate, agglomeration, alphabet soup, assortment, botch, clutter, collage, crazy quilt, farrago, gallimaufry, grab bag, gumbo, hash, hodgepodge, hotchpotch, jambalaya, jumble, jungle, litter, macédoine, medley, mélange, miscellany, miscellanea, mishmash, mixed bag, montage, motley, muddle, olio, olla podrida, omnium-gatherum, pastiche, patchwork, patchwork quilt, potpourri, ragbag, ragout, rummage, salad, salmagundi, scramble, shuffle, smorgasbord, stew, tumble, variety, welter

Related Words: detritus, notions, oddments, odds and ends, sundries; accumulation, aggregate, aggregation, conglomerate, conglomeration; catchall; admixture, alloy, amalgam, blend, combination, commixture, composite, compound, fusion, intermixture, mix-up; bollix, chaos, confusion, disarrangement, disarray, disorder, dog's breakfast [chiefly British], mess, morass, muddle, shambles; imbroglio, knot, snarl, tangle

[+]more[-]hide

Other Zoology Terms

altruism, integument