Birdcage

/ˈbɜːrdkeɪdʒ/ noun

Definition

An enclosed structure with bars or wire mesh designed to hold and confine pet birds.

Etymology

Compound word from 'bird' (Old English 'brid') and 'cage' (from Old French 'cage,' from Latin 'cavea' meaning 'hollow place'). The term emerged as caged bird-keeping became popular among the wealthy in medieval Europe.

Kelly Says

The famous 1962 film 'A Caged Bird' and the phrase 'singing like a bird in a birdcage' sparked conversations about freedom and captivity that still influence how we think about animal welfare today! Interestingly, modern bird behaviorists have shown that birds in appropriately designed cages actually live healthier lives than wild birds in dangerous urban environments.

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