menagerie — a collection of wild or unusual animals kept in captivity for exhibition
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a collection of wild or unusual animals kept in captivity for exhibition
Pronunciation (IPA): /məˈnædʒəri/
Example Sentences
- The billionaire's backyard menagerie included three tigers, two giraffes, and a very confused penguin.
- The university faculty meeting resembled a menagerie of academic personalities.
- Her apartment was a menagerie of rescue animals - cats, dogs, birds, and even a ferret named Einstein.
menagerie
NOUN[/məˈnædʒəri/]
a collection of wild or unusual animals kept in captivity for exhibition
The palace menagerie housed lions, peacocks, monkeys, and other exotic animals.
The explorer entered a menagerie filled with rare animals from around the world. (Think of: menagerie → many animals)
The menagerie became the strangest scenery the visitors had ever seen.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From French 'ménagerie', derived from 'ménage' meaning 'household management'. Originally referred to farmyards for livestock, but evolved to describe royal and aristocratic collections of exotic animals for display.
Breakdown
ménage (household/domestic management) + -erie (place suffix, indicating a location where something is kept or done)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The billionaire's backyard menagerie included three tigers, two giraffes, and a very confused penguin.”
“The university faculty meeting resembled a menagerie of academic personalities.”
“Her apartment was a menagerie of rescue animals - cats, dogs, birds, and even a ferret named Einstein.”
“The reality TV show featured a menagerie of contestants who seemed more interested in drama than dating.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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