birdcage

[ burd-keyj ]

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.

birdcage

/ 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of birdcage¹

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

Example Sentences

Sworders said Campione's collection of birdcages dated back as far as the 18th century, when the keeping of exotic birds was a popular pastime for affluent families.

From BBC

Donald Trump beat Nikki Haley in the Republican primary by repeatedly calling her "birdbrain," and even driving home the insult by sending a birdcage and bird food to her hotel room.

From Salon

Janney’s former showgirl character populates her mansion with taxidermy birds who reflect the plumage of her old career and because, “she is kind of a prisoner in her birdcage of a house with her marriage.”

From Los Angeles Times

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

From Los Angeles Times

Rasseem had his own pair of camels for his teetering birdcages.

From Literature