menagerie

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See also: Menagerie and ménagerie

English

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English Wikipedia has an article on:
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Etymology

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

Pronunciation

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Noun

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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

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Portuguese

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Noun

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menagerie f (plural menageries)

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