Menagerie

Pronunciation: /məˈnæʒəri/

Definitions of menagerie

noun a diverse or varied group of people or things

Example Sentences

A1 My grandmother has a small menagerie of pets at home.

A2 The zoo had a diverse menagerie of animals from all over the world.

B1 The eccentric millionaire had a private menagerie of exotic animals on his estate.

B2 The traveling circus had a spectacular menagerie of performers and animals.

C1 The artist's studio was a menagerie of colors, shapes, and textures.

C2 The museum's collection was a menagerie of ancient artifacts and modern art pieces.

Examples of menagerie in a Sentence

formal The zoo boasted a diverse menagerie of animals from around the world.

informal My aunt has quite the menagerie of pets in her house.

slang I never expected to see such a crazy menagerie of characters at the party.

figurative The artist's paintings were a menagerie of colors and shapes, creating a beautiful masterpiece.

Grammatical Forms of menagerie

• past tense: menagerieed
• plural: menageries
• comparative: more menagerie
• superlative: most menagerie
• present tense: menagerie
• future tense: will menagerie
• perfect tense: have menagerieed
• continuous tense: is menagerieing
• singular: menagerie
• positive degree: menagerie
• infinitive: to menagerie
• gerund: menagerieing
• participle: menageried

Origin and Evolution of menagerie

First Known Use: 1601 year

Language of Origin: Middle French

Story behind the word: The word 'menagerie' originated from the Middle French word 'ménagerie', which was derived from the Old French term 'ménage' meaning household.

Evolution of the word: Originally used to refer to a place where live wild animals are kept for exhibition, the term 'menagerie' has evolved to also include collections of diverse or unusual things or people.