menagerie
menagerie Lexical Profile
menagerie Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A collection of wild or unusual animals kept in captivity for exhibition.
"The eccentric aristocrat maintained a private menagerie of exotic birds, monkeys, and big cats on his sprawling estate."
A strange, diverse, or eclectic collection of people or things.
"The antique shop was a chaotic menagerie of forgotten relics, bizarre artifacts, and vintage clothing."
Word Nuance & Usage
While traditionally referring to a physical collection of captive wild animals, 'menagerie' is frequently used metaphorically to describe any bizarre, diverse, or eclectic mixture of people or things.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From French 'ménagerie' (housing for domestic animals), derived from 'ménage' (household), which traces back to the Latin 'mansio' (dwelling).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.