noun

bestiary

BES-tee-air-ee

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Bestiary (noun) means a bestiary is a medieval book describing real and imagined animals, often with a moral or religious lesson attached. Example: “The museum has a beautifully illustrated bestiary from the twelfth century.”

noun

A bestiary is a medieval book describing real and imagined animals, often with a moral or religious lesson attached.

"The museum has a beautifully illustrated bestiary from the twelfth century."

"Monks copied bestiaries by hand long before printing existed."

A bestiary is also any collection of animals shown or described together in art or writing.

"The exhibition brought together a strange bestiary of sculpted creatures."

"Her poetry collection reads like a modern bestiary."

gaming In gaming, a bestiary is a guidebook listing the monsters found in a game.

"The game's bestiary lists every monster along with its weaknesses."

"Players unlock new entries in the bestiary as they explore."

How to use bestiary

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA bestiary is a collection or catalogue of animals or creatures, real or invented.

When to use it

The medieval sense is a historical and literary term, while the gaming sense is informal and specific to games.

Memory tip

Think of the -ary ending as meaning a collection, the same pattern as in library.

Trace the full origin ↓

Common pairings

medieval bestiary illustrated bestiary in-game bestiary complete the bestiary

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The museum has a beautifully illustrated _____ from the twelfth century.

Etymology

Bestiary comes from Medieval Latin bestiarium, itself from Latin bestia, meaning beast or animal. It can also be read simply as beast joined with the suffix -ary.

Origin: Medieval Latin

Rhymes for bestiary

vary Mary nary wary diary ovary apiary canary salary binary ossuary January

See all rhymes for bestiary →

Frequently asked questions

What is a bestiary in the medieval sense?

It was a book describing real and mythical animals, usually paired with a moral or religious point about each one.

What does bestiary mean in video games?

It refers to an in-game guidebook that lists the monsters a player can encounter, often with details about each one.

Are all bestiaries about mythical creatures?

No, medieval bestiaries mixed real animals with imaginary ones, and modern uses of the word can refer to any grouped collection of creatures.

What is the meaning of bestiary?

"bestiary" (noun) means a bestiary is a medieval book describing real and imagined animals, often with a moral or religious lesson attached.