Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A large enclosure for holding birds in confinement.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A large cage, building, or inclosure in which birds are reared or kept.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A house, inclosure, large cage, or other place, for keeping birds confined; a bird house.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a building where birds are kept

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Latin aviārium, from avis, bird; see awi- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin aviārium, from avis ("bird").

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Examples

  • The aviary is much reduced in size, she's down to only thirty something birds lately.

    Breakfast in Bed desayunoencama 2004

  • Small aviaries are, in fact, but birdcages on a large scale, divided into compartments to suit the nature of the birds that are to be confined in them; while a large aviary is only a superior kind of poultry-yard covered in with wire network to prevent the birds from escaping.

    The Lady's Country Companion: or, How to Enjoy a Country Life Rationally Jane 1845

  • Home is an aviary, which is not sealed, where the 2-year-old that stands about 30 inches tall and measures about 48 to 56 inches from beak to tail lives with two peahens the female version of peafowl.

    Proud Escapee Turns Heads Sumathi Reddy 2011

  • The aviary was the only pristine place in the realm-quite an exorbitance, given the aerial army it would take to protect the place.

    Time Streams King, J. Robert 1999

  • Beyond the steps was an aviary full of dead exotic birds; beyond the aviary was a snackbar advertising (perhaps heartlessly, given the loca-tion) topeka's best buffaloburger; beyond the snackbar was another wrought iron arch with a sign reading come back to gage park real soon!

    Wizard and Glass King, Stephen 1997

  • "If you look to your left," said the voice, "you will see the dome of the Jurassic Park aviary, which is not yet finished for visitors."

    Jurassic Park Crichton, Michael, 1942- 1991

  • The aviary was the living - and dining-quarters, protected from all insect pests, and an arbor covered with vines led to the water.

    Mystic Isles of the South Seas. Frederick O'Brien 1900

  • By and by he went away, forgetting to take leave of me, my back being turned, looking upon the aviary, which is there very pretty, and the birds begin to sing well this spring.

    Diary of Samuel Pepys — Complete 1663 N.S. Samuel Pepys 1668

  • By and by he went away, forgetting to take leave of me, my back being turned, looking upon the aviary, which is there very pretty, and the birds begin to sing well this spring.

    Diary of Samuel Pepys — Volume 21: March/April 1662-63 Samuel Pepys 1668

  • By and by he went away, forgetting to take leave of me, my back being turned, looking upon the aviary, which is there very pretty, and the birds begin to sing well this spring.

    Diary of Samuel Pepys — Complete Samuel Pepys 1668

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