birdcage

American  

[burd-keyj] / ˈbɜrdˌkeɪdʒ /

noun

1. a cage for confining birds.

2. something that resembles a birdcage in form.

3. Slang. the airspace over an airport, together with the airplanes in it.

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birdcage British  

/ ˈbɜːdˌkeɪdʒ /

noun

1. a wire or wicker cage in which captive birds are kept

2. any object of a similar shape, construction, or purpose

3. an area on a racecourse where horses parade before a race

4. informal a second-hand car dealer's yard

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Etymology

Origin of birdcage

First recorded in 1480–90; bird ( def. ) + cage ( def. )

Example Sentences

Mindy is bracingly funny but also masculine enough to intimidate Jerry, the delicate peacock in this gilded birdcage.

From Salon • May 29, 2025

At one point, a dancer contorts herself as she carries Particle, tucked in a birdcage, across a room.

From Los Angeles Times • May 10, 2024

In a rather tragic detail that feels straight out of a fable, Tiny Pinocchio was kept in a decorative metal birdcage when people visited the house to prevent him from accidentally getting squished.

From Slate • Jul. 15, 2023

During one moment of digging, Volunteer Bekir Bicer uncovered a crushed birdcage, he said.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 8, 2023

She tripped into the bar in slacks and a pea jacket, carrying a covered birdcage.

From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole