menagerie

noun me·nag·er·ie \ mə-ˈnaj-rē , -ˈna-jə- also -ˈnazh-rē , -ˈna-zhə- \

Updated on: 11 Apr 2018

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

A menagerie of grotesque statues stood in the garden.

See menagerie defined for English-language learners

See menagerie defined for kids

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 of menagerie from the Web

Qari's refined, nonchalant cool, Supa's cathartic melodies, and Mulatto Beats' electric menagerie of unconventional instrumentals soon made Hurt Everybody one of the most exciting new acts in the city.

— leor galil, Chicago Reader, "Chicago rapper Supa Bwe laps the pack," 3 Apr. 2018
Though if my menagerie of dead succulents is any indication, that might be one step into the past too far.

— alex zaragoza, Glamour, "I Tried Eating Like My Ancestors for a Week and I Loved It," 3 Apr. 2018
At the museum in Tring, Lord Rothschild’s menagerie was stuffed, mounted and encased in floor-to-ceiling displays in the gallery, along with bears, crocodiles and—somewhat disconcertingly—domestic dogs.

— franz lidz, Smithsonian, "The Great Feather Heist," 21 Mar. 2018
Five years later, Marlon, aka BOTUS (Bunny of the United States), is the most famous pet in the impressive menagerie of Vice President Pence and his wife, Karen.

— nara schoenberg, chicagotribune.com, "Charlotte Pence talks about Marlon Bundo: The vice presidential bunny (a Chicago native) with a book deal," 14 Mar. 2018
In the late Jurassic, evolution was in its sketching phase, as a menagerie of feathered dinosaurs haltingly took to the air.

— National Geographic, "This Famous Dinosaur Could Fly—But Unlike Anything Alive Today," 13 Mar. 2018
One weathered totem pole after another appears, a towering cedar menagerie of killer whales, ravens, beavers and bears, tilted and vulnerable.

— margo pfeiff, San Francisco Chronicle, "Cruise: Voyaging sacred waters of B.C.’s ancient islands," 11 Jan. 2018
But seeking to highlight each girl’s individuality, Jawara bestowed the show with a menagerie of different styles.

— lauren valenti, Vogue, "If Bella Hadid Weren't Walking the Paris Runways, She'd Be Doing This," 1 Mar. 2018
According to the 2016 article, the ranch hosted up to 300 young female gymnasts at a time in the facility that featured state-of-the-art equipment along with a pool, play area and a menagerie of animals, both wild and domesticated.

— john c moritz, Indianapolis Star, "Gov. Greg Abbott orders Texas Rangers to investigate Karolyi Ranch," 30 Jan. 2018

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.

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.

Origin and Etymology of menagerie

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1676

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MENAGERIE Defined for English Language Learners

menagerie

noun

Definition of menagerie for English Language Learners

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

MENAGERIE Defined for Kids

menagerie

noun me·nag·er·ie \ mə-ˈna-jə-rē \

Definition of menagerie for Students

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

Learn More about menagerie

Spanish Central: Translation of menagerie Nglish: Translation of menagerie for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about menagerie

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