Meaning & use
aviary
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
A large cage or building where birds are kept so people can watch them or breed them.
Grammar: Countable: you can say 'an aviary', 'the aviary', or 'aviaries'. It can be used for one structure or a collection of them.
Patterns
- in an aviary
- at the aviary
- a walk-in aviary
The zoo has a huge aviary full of tropical birds.
We walked through the aviary and saw parrots and flamingos.
She keeps her finches in a small aviary in the garden.
Word forms
| plural | aviaries |
|---|
Common combinations
- bird aviary
- The park built a new bird aviary last year.
- walk-in aviary
- Visitors can enter the walk-in aviary to feed the birds.
- tropical aviary
- The tropical aviary is kept warm all winter.
- aviary birds
- Aviary birds need plenty of space to fly.
Synonyms and how they differ
- birdcage
- A birdcage is usually smaller and for one or a few pet birds, while an aviary is larger and often for many birds or for display.
- enclosure
- Enclosure is a general word for any fenced or walled area for animals; aviary specifically means one for birds.
Word family
- avian adjective
- Relating to birds; e.g. avian flu.
- aviculture noun
- The practice of keeping and breeding birds.
- aviarist noun
- A person who keeps birds in an aviary.
Commonly confused: aviary or apiary? aviary or aviary vs. cage?
aviary vs apiary
An apiary is a place where bees are kept, not birds. The words sound similar but refer to different animals.
aviary vs aviary vs. cage
A cage is usually a small structure for a pet bird; an aviary is much larger and often outdoors or a walk-in space.
Practice
Choose the correct word: 'The zoo's new ___ is home to over fifty species of birds.'
Choose one answer.
An aviary is a place for birds, so it fits the context of birds. An apiary is for bees, an aquarium is for fish, and a terrarium is for small land animals like reptiles.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “aviary”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.