menagerie

See also: Menagerie and ménagerie

English
WOTD – 5 July 2010

Etymology

From French ménagerie, derived from ménager (“to keep house”), household. Housekeeping used to include taking care of domestic animals.

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /mɪˈnæd͡ʒəɹɪ/, /mɪˈnæʒəɹɪ/
  • Audio (US)(file)
  • Audio (AU)(file)

Noun

menagerie (plural menageries)

  1. A collection of live wild animals as an exhibition historically associated with the aristocracy and considered a precursor of modern zoos.
  2. The enclosure where they are kept.
    • 1949, Bruce Kiskaddon, George R. Stewart, Earth Abides:
      In Sacramento a crazed woman opened the cages of a circus menagerie for fear the animals might starve to death, and had been mauled by a lioness.
  3. A diverse or miscellaneous group.
  4. (obsolete, slang) The orchestra of a theatre.

Translations

Portuguese

Noun

menagerie f (plural menageries)

  1. menagerie (collection of live wild animals on exhibition)
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