menagerie

noun

me·​nag·​er·​ie
mə-ˈnaj-rē,
-ˈna-jə- How to pronounce menagerie (audio)
 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 comediansTV 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.

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
And Hezbollah, as the most heavily armed and violent element of Lebanon’s menagerie of factions and sects, wanted the guns without the responsibility. Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 2 Sep. 2025 My favorite Maginot menagerie beastie remains the multi-eyed crawling eyeball, who in this episode takes up residence within the eye socket of a Prodigy lab goat. Noel Murray, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2025 Walt Disney World shared updates on several projects Thursday, including one grand opening date and revamped roller coaster details, some revealed by a menagerie of Muppets featuring Kermit the Frog. Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 Aug. 2025 Russia just sent a mini menagerie to orbit. Mike Wall, Space.com, 20 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for menagerie

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of menagerie was in 1676

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Menagerie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/menagerie. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

menagerie

noun
me·​nag·​er·​ie mə-ˈnaj-(ə-)rē How to pronounce menagerie (audio)
 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

More from Merriam-Webster on menagerie

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