menagerie

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noun me·nag·er·ie \ 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

A menagerie of grotesque statues stood in the garden.

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menagerie was our Word of the Day on 05/23/2012. Hear the podcast!

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

The Kennedy family had a menagerie of pets, including dogs, cats, birds, hamsters and a rabbit named Zsa Zsa.

— catherine lucey, Detroit Free Press, "Trumps not in the market for animals in the White House," 24 July 2017
Herewith, a field guide to the newest West Wing player in Trump’s menagerie: 1.

— bess levin, The Hive, "Why Trump Loves “the Mooch,” the New White House Aide Who Made Spicer Quit," 21 July 2017
So, in addition to cats and dogs, their menagerie has included a pigeon, a goat, a potbellied big, a monitor lizard and other animals that end up as household pets.

— erin hegarty, Naperville Sun, "Summer a hot time for pet owners to 'clean house' of their cats and dogs," 18 July 2017
It’s mostly known for housing a popular West Bank zoo, a decrepit menagerie by Western standards that is famous for the taxidermy of its deceased animals.

— mohammed daraghmeh, The Seattle Times, "Expansion plan highlights crowded West Bank city’s plight," 11 July 2017
New member of the particle zoo The Xi joins a menagerie of other particles that form the world of the very small.

— Fox News, "‘Charming’ heavy particle discovered at world’s largest atom smasher," 11 July 2017
Two team members thread their way through the menagerie of tents –

— patrik jonsson, The Christian Science Monitor, "Ambassadors of smoke," 2 July 2017
The idea is to be an honorable, nurturing sensei for your menagerie of weird little creatures – not just to teach them to fight like cybercocks but also to help them evolve onward to a more ennobled state.

— mark jacobson, Daily Intelligencer, "The Generation Gap in My Living Room," 30 June 2017
His band, a six-piece ensemble of horns, organ, drum and bass, spun its musical colors like a chameleon writhing through a musical menagerie of southern rock, jamming grooves and ferocious roadhouse blues.

— milwaukee, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Best and worst of Summerfest Day 1: Flume, Lee Fields and the Expressions outplay the rain," 29 June 2017

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 Synonyms

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

Other Zoology Terms

altruism, integument

MENAGERIE Defined for English Language Learners

menagerie

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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

play

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

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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menagerie

Definition of menagerie

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menagerie was our Word of the Day on 05/23/2012. Hear the podcast!

Examples of menagerie in a Sentence

Recent Examples of menagerie from the Web

Did You Know?

Origin and Etymology of menagerie

menagerie Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

Other Zoology Terms

MENAGERIE Defined for English Language Learners

menagerie

Definition of menagerie for English Language Learners

MENAGERIE Defined for Kids

menagerie

Definition of menagerie for Students

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