Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
bestiary
noun
/ˈbɛstɪˌɛri/
Definition
A collection or book that describes a variety of animals, often with illustrations and explanations of their characteristics.
Examples
- The medieval bestiary included fantastic creatures alongside real animals, each with a moral lesson.
- She loved reading the bestiary, captivated by the mythical beasts it illustrated.
- Many bestiaries were created in illuminated manuscripts during the Middle Ages.
Meaning
Bestiaries were historically used to teach moral lessons through the depiction of animals and their symbolic meanings.
Synonyms
- animal encyclopedia
- zoological compendium
- compendium of beasts
