Dictionary

bestiary en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈbiːstiˌɛɹi/ (US)
• (Southern-England) audio
• (General-American) audio
• (General-American) audio
• /ˈbɛstiˌɛɹi/ (US)

Etymology

Borrowed from Medieval Latin bēstiārium, from Latin bēstia (“beast, animal”). By surface analysis, beast + -ary.

Meanings

1. A medieval treatise of various real or imaginary animals.
   • This book is not actually a bestiary. It is what most people think a bestiary is—namely an assemblage of vividly imagined beasts who behave somewhat quirkily, bear only the vaguest application to real life, […] 1982, George Plimpton, A Sports Bestiary, McGraw-Hill Companies, →ISBN:
   • Back in the 60s, Robin Boyd told us how ugly Australian architecture was. As his valediction, he has left us a bestiary of ugly Australians. 16 Jun 1972, Papua New Guinea Post-Courier, Port Moresby, page 22, column 1:
2. A collection of various beasts, depicted in art, literature, or the like.
   • Later artworks showed many animals and gods, some of which were clearly identified with heavenly bodies. [...] Each shows a splendidly vivacious bestiary and pantheon, including the Sun-Moon-Venus symbols and a lion-versus-bull combat scene with an eagle or man-bull joining in. 1998, John H. Roger, “Origins of the ancient constellations: I. The Mesopotamian traditions”, in Journal of the British Astronomy Association, volume 108, number 1, page 10, column 2:
   • More commonly known to the English speaker as “Genie”; the “dijn” is a powerful demon in the bestiary of the Middle East, mistaken in this instance for the Buddha. 1 Mar 1996, The Australian Jewish News, Melbourne, page 25, column 3:
3. A list or guidebook of the monsters to be found in a roleplaying game.

Forms

Relateds

beast · bestial

Translations (33)

pt bestiário (A medieval treatise of animals) · he ספר חיות (A medieval treatise of animals) · pl bestiarium (A medieval treatise of animals) · sl bestiarij (A medieval treatise of animals) · cs bestiář (A medieval treatise of animals) · no bestiarium (A medieval treatise of animals) · uk бестіа́рій (A medieval treatise of animals) · mk бестија́р (A medieval treatise of animals) · ro bestiar (A medieval treatise of animals) · eo bestarlibro (A medieval treatise of animals) · bg бестиарий (A medieval treatise of animals) · cy bwystawr (A medieval treatise of animals) · ru бестиа́рий (A medieval treatise of animals) · sv bestiarium (A medieval treatise of animals) · he בסטיארי (A medieval treatise of animals) · ja 動物寓意譚 (A medieval treatise of animals) · ar حيوانات رامزة (A medieval treatise of animals) · fi eläinkirja (A medieval treatise of animals) · it bestiario (A medieval treatise of animals) · da bestiarium (A medieval treatise of animals) · la bēstiārium (A medieval treatise of animals) · ca bestiari (A medieval treatise of animals) · nl bestiarium (A medieval treatise of animals) · eu bestiario (A medieval treatise of animals) · io bestiario (A medieval treatise of animals) · fr bestiaire (A medieval treatise of animals) · cy bwystori (A medieval treatise of animals) · pl bestiariusz (A medieval treatise of animals) · es bestiario (A medieval treatise of animals) · ko 베스티아리 (A medieval treatise of animals) · de Bestiarium (A medieval treatise of animals) · be бестыярыюм (A medieval treatise of animals) · fi bestiaari (A medieval treatise of animals)