menagerie

noun

me·​nag·​er·​ie

mə-ˈnaj-rē, 

-ˈna-jə- 

also -ˈnazh-rē, 

-ˈna-zhə-

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

A menagerie of grotesque statues stood in the garden.

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.” When English speakers adopted menagerie in the 1600s, they applied it specifically to places where wild and often also foreign animals were kept and trained for exhibition, as well as to the animals so kept. This second meaning was eventually generalized to refer to any varied mixture, especially one that includes things that are strange or foreign to one’s experience.

Synonyms of menagerie

• assortment
• jumble
• variety
• medley
• collage

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

Gallery-goers are perhaps more accustomed to seeing paintings of private menageries or packs of hunting hounds—both status symbols for the nobility—but there was also a trend for portraits of large groups of little dogs. — Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2026

All somehow seem at home in Rose’s cartoonish menagerie of delinquents. — Zach Schonfeld, Pitchfork, 26 Oct. 2026

There’s the menagerie of found object ephemera that provides a sense of intimacy and personality (look for the wild bit of art hanging in the spa entrance). — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Oct. 2026

Here, an indulgent, chocolatey taste combines with a menagerie of wellness benefits — from stronger joints, nails, and hair follicles to glowier skin. — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1676, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

menagerie

noun

me·​nag·​er·​ie mə-ˈnaj-(ə-)rē 

also -ˈnazh-

1

: a place where animals are kept and trained especially for exhibition

2

: a collection of wild or foreign animals kept especially for exhibition