Appendix:English collective nouns
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A collective noun is a special kind of noun that refers to a collection of objects — often animals — such as a flock of birds, or a pride of lions.
In the lists which follow, terms marked with a + belong to the 15th-century list of "proper terms" contained in the Book of St Albans. Many of these are fanciful or humorous terms which have never had any real currency, but have been taken up by various antiquarian writers.[1]
The lists are given in two formats, as shown below.
| Contents: | A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z |
|---|
List of collective nouns
A
B
Words beginning "ba - bl"
- bashir: A bashir of auditors.
- bevy: A bevy of girls.
- blush: A blush of boys.
- blessing: A blessing of unicorns.
Words beginning "bm - bz"
C
Words beginning "ca - cl"
- catalogue: A catalogue of mistakes
- chirm: A chirm of finches +?
- cloud: A cloud of flies
- cloud: A cloud of gnats
- clowder: A clowder of cats + ?[2]
- cluster: A cluster of (workers around queen) bees
- clutch: A clutch of eggs
- clutter: A clutter of cats
Words beginning "cm - cz"
D
E
F
Words beginning "fa - fl"
- farrow: A farrow of piglets[3]
- flange: A flange of baboons
- flight: A flight of aircraft
- flight: A flight of stairs
- flight: A flight of doves
- flock: A flight of birds
- flock: A flock of geese (in the air)
- flock: A flight of goats
- flock: A flight of sheep
- flourish: A flourish of strumpets
Words beginning "fm - fz"
fleet
G
Words beginning "ga - gl"
- gaggle: A gaggle of geese
- gam: A gam of whales[4]
- game: A game of bees
- gang: A gang of elk[5]
- gang: A gang of convicts
- gang: A gang of thieves
- gang: A gang of thugs
- glaring: A glaring of cats
- glory: A glory of unicorns
Words beginning "gm - gz"
H
Words beginning "ha - hl"
- hand: A hand of bananas
- herd: The collective noun for (various) herbivores.
- herd: A herd of antelope
- herd: A herd of buffalo
- herd: A herd of cows
- herd: A herd of cranes
- herd: A herd of curlews
- herd: A herd of deer
- herd: A herd of whales[6]
- herd: A herd of zebra[7]
- hive: A hive of bees (standard)
Words beginning "hm - hz"
I
Words beginning "ia - il"
Words beginning "im - iz"
J
Words beginning "ja - jl"
Words beginning "jm - jz"
K
Words beginning "ka - kl"
Words beginning "km - kz"
L
Words beginning "la - ll"
- leap: A leap of leopards +?
- leash: A leash of bucks +?
- lepe: A lepe of leopards +?
- litter: A litter of kittens
- litter: A litter of puppies[9]
- litter: A litter of various unweaned animals.
Words beginning "lm - lz"
M
Words beginning "ma - ml"
Words beginning "mm - mz"
N
Words beginning "na - nl"
Words beginning "nm - nz"
O
P
Words beginning "pa - pl"
- pack: A pack of cards
- pack: the collective noun for (various) carnivores
- pack: A pack of dogs[10]
- pack: A pack of lies
- pack: A pack of hounds[11]
- pack: A pack of wolves[12]
- paddling: A paddling of ducks
- parliament: A parliament of owls or rooks
- passel: A passel of brats
- peel: A peel of Jezebels
- perversion: A perversion of sailors
- plump: A plump of wildfowl
Words beginning "pm - pz"
Q
R
Words beginning "ra - rl"
- rabble: A rabble of bees
- raft: A raft of sea otters
- richesse: A richesse of martens. +?
- richness: A richness of martens. +?
Words beginning "rm - rz"
S
Words beginning "sa - sl"
- school: A collective noun for (various) fish.
- school: A school of dolphins
- school: A school of fish
- school: A school of whales[17]
- sedge: A sedge of cranes
- shrewdness: A shrewdness of apes + ? [18]
- shoal: A collective noun for (various) fish.
- shoal: A shoal of fish
- siege: A siege of cranes
- singularity: A singularity of boar.
- skein: A skein of geese
- skulk: A skulk of foxes[19]
- sleuth: A sleuth of bears
Words beginning "sm - sz"
- smack: A smack of jellyfish
- sord: A sord of mallard +?
- sounder: A sounder of (wild) boar [20]
- sowse: A souse of lions
- stable: A stable of horses[21]
- stand: A stand of bees
- stand: A stand of plovers
- stare: A stare of owls
- stench: A stench of zombies
- string: A string of ponies[22]
- suit: A suit of sails
- sute: A sute of mallard
- superfluity: A superfluity of nuns.
- swarm: The collective noun for (various) insects.
- swarm: A swarm of bees (standard)
- swarm: A swarm of flies
- swarm: A swarm of jellyfish (standard)
- swarm: A swarm of gnats
T
Words beginning "ta - tl"
- team: A team of ducks (on the wing).
- team: A team of geese (in flight).
- team: A team of horses[23]
- team: A team of oxen[24]
- team: A team of (various) sportsmen.
Words beginning "tm - tz"
U
V
List of nouns represented by collectives
A
Words beginning "aa - al"
- actors: A troupe of actors
- actors: A cast of actors
- actors: A company of actors
- admirals: A bridge of admirals
- academics: A faculty of academics
Words beginning "am - az"
- angels: A host of angels
- angels: A chorus of angels ?
- angels: A choir of angels
- ants: A colony of ants (standard)
- ants: A bike of ants ?
- ants: A nest of ants
- ants: An army of ants
- antelope: A herd of antelope
- apes: A shrewdness of apes + ?
- apes: A troop of apes (standard).
- archivists: A fonds of archivists
- asses: A herd of asses (standard)
- asses: A pace of asses ?
B
Words beginning "ba - bl"
- baboons: A flange of baboons. ?
- baboons: A tribe of baboons
- baboons: A troop of baboons.(standard)
- bacteria: A culture of bacteria.
- badgers: A cete of badgers. + ? [26]
- badgers: A colony of badgers (standard)
- bananas: A hand of bananas.
- bananas: A bunch of bananas
- bats: A colony of bats - at roost.
- bears: A sloth of bears + ? [27]
- bears: A sleuth of bears + ?
- bees: A bike of (wild) bees. ?
- bees: A byke of (wild) bees. ?
- bees: A cast of bees (a secondary swarm)
- bees: A cluster of bees (workers around queen).
- bees: A colony of bees
- bees: A drift of bees - in flight ?
- bees: An erst of bees.
- bees: A game of bees.
- bees: A grist of bees.
- bees: A hive of bees. (standard)
- bees: A rabble of bees.
- bees: A stand of bees.
- bees: A swarm of bees - in flight. (standard)
- birds: A flock of birds (standard)
- birds: A flight of birds (standard)
- birds: A pod - small flight - of birds ?
- birds: A fleet of (small) birds +
- birds: A dissimulation of (small) birds +
- birds: A volary of birds in an aviary.
- bishops: A bench of bishops
- bitterns: A sedge of bitterns. ?
- bitterns: A siege of bitterns. ?
Words beginning "bm - bz"
- boar A singularity of (wild) boar.
- boar A sounder of (wild) boar
- bonobos : A box of bonobos
- bother : A spot of bother
- boys: A blush of boys. + ?
- boys: A boister of boys.
- brats: A passel of brats
- brumbies: A band of brumbies
- brumbies: A mob of brumbies
- bucks: A leash of bucks
- buffalo: A herd of buffalo
- butterflies: A swarm of butterflies (standard)
- butterflies: A kaleidoscope of butterflies
- butterflies: A flutter of butterflies
C
Words beginning "ca - cl"
- cards: A deck of cards.
- cards: A house of [specially arranged] cards.
- cards: A pack of cards.
- cards: A tower of [specially arranged] cards.
- cats: A clowder of cats. +?
- cats: A glaring of cats. +?
- cats: A dowt of cats. +?
- cats: A destruction of wild cats +?
- check controllers: A stab of check controllers (Air Traffic Control).
- chickens: A brood of chickens.
- cheetahs: A coalition of cheetahs
- choughs: A chattering of choughs. +?
- clowns [derivative]: A bunch of clowns.
- clowns: A nest of clowns.
- clowns: A trunkload of clowns.
- clowns: A mutiny of clowns.
Words beginning "cm - cz"
D
Words beginning "da - dl"
Words beginning "dm - dz"
- doctors: A doctrine of doctors ?
- doctors: A field of doctors (standard)
- dogs: A pack of dogs.
- dogs: A kennel of dogs
- dolphins: A school of dolphins
- dolphins: A pod of dolphins
- doves: A flight of doves
- ducks: A paddling of ducks (on water) +?
- ducks: A team of ducks (in flight)+
- dragons: A blaze of dragons
- dragons: A horde of dragons (standard)
E
Words beginning "ea - el"
- eagles: An aerie of eagles
- eagles: A convocation of eagles
- eggs: A clutch of eggs.
- elephants: A herd of elephants.
- elk: A gang of elk.
Words beginning "em - ez"
F
Words beginning "fa - fl"
- ferrets: A business of ferrets. +?
- finches: A charm of finches.
- finches: A chirm of finches +?
- finches: A flock of finches (standard)
- fish: A school of fish. (standard)
- fish: A shoal of fish. (standard)
- fish: A run of fish (in motion). (standard)
- flies: A cloud of flies.
- flies: A swarm of flies.
- flamingoes: A flamboyance of flamingoes
Words beginning "fm - fz"
- footballers: An eleven of footballers.
- footballers: A squad of footballers.
- footballers: A team of footballers. (standard)
- foxes: A skulk of foxes.
- fry: A nursery of fry.
G
Words beginning "ga - gl"
- geese: A gaggle of geese. (standard)
- geese: A skein of flying geese. (standard)
- geese: A team of flying geese.
- geese: A wedge of flying geese.
- giraffes: A tower of giraffes.
- giraffes: A caravan of walking giraffes.
Words beginning "gm - gz"
H
Words beginning "ha - hl"
- hares: A husk of hares. +?
- hares: A down of hares. +?
- hawks: A kettle of hawks. + ?
- hawks: A boil of hawks ?
- hawks: A cast of hawks. ? (strictly two let fly).
- hawks: An aerie of hawks. ?
- hippos" A bloat of hippos. ?
Words beginning "hm - hz"
I
Words beginning "ia - il"
Words beginning "im - iz"
J
Words beginning "ja - jl"
- jellyfish: A brood of jellyfish
- jellyfish: A smack of jellyfish.
- jellyfish: A swarm of jellyfish. (standard)
- jellyfish: A jive of jellyfish.
Words beginning "jm - jz"
K
Words beginning "ka - kl"
- kittens: A kindle of kittens. ?
- kittens: A litter of kittens. (standard)
- kittens: A claw of kittens. ?
Words beginning "km - kz"
L
Words beginning "la - ll"
- larks : An exaltation of larks
- leopards: A leap of leopards +?
- leopards: A lepe of leopards +?
- leaves: A pile of leaves
- lice: A flock of lice +?
- lies: A pack of lies
- lies: A web of lies
- lions : A pride of lions
Words beginning "lm - lz"
M
Words beginning "ma - ml"
- mallard: A sord of mallard +?
- mallard: A sute of mallard +?
- martens: A richesse of martens +?
- martens: A richness of martens +?
- mice: A punnet of mice
- mistakes: A catalogue of mistakes
Words beginning "mm - mz"
- monkeys: A wilderness of monkeys
- mules: A barren of mules
N
Words beginning "na - nl"
- nightingales: A watch of nightingales. +
Words beginning "nm - nz"
- nuns: A superfluity of nuns. +?
- nuns: A convent of nuns. +?
O
Words beginning "oa - ol"
Words beginning "om - oz"
P
Words beginning "pa - pl"
- peacocks: A muster of peacocks
- pigs: A sounder of pigs (or wild boar) foraging in woodland
- pigs: A herd of pigs in a field or yard
- pigeons: A kit of pigeons flying together
- piglets: A farrow of piglets
- piglets: A litter of piglets
- pineapples: A prickle of pineapples
- plovers: A congregation of plovers +?
- plovers: A stand of plovers
- plovers: A wing of plovers
Words beginning "pm - pz"
Q
Words beginning "qa - qul"
- quail: A bevy of quail (standard)
- quail: A drift of quail.
- quail: A flight of quail (standard)
- queers: A brace of queers (standard)
Words beginning "qum - quz"
R
Words beginning "ra - rl"
- rabbits: A warren of rabbits.
- rats: A mischief of rats.
- raccoons: A nursery of raccoons.
- ravens: An unkindness of ravens. + ?
- rhinoceroses: a crash of rhinos.
Words beginning "rm - rz"
- rooks: A parliament of rooks.
S
Words beginning "sa - sl"
Words beginning "sm - sz"
- snails: A suit of snails
- software: A bunch of software;
- spoons: A stir of spoons (standard);
- squirrels: A church of squirrels;
- stairs: A flight of stairs
- starlings: A murmuration of starlings
- swans: A ponce (or lamentation) of swans;
- swine: A herd of swine (standard);
- swine: A sounder of tame swine + ?;
- swine: A drift of (wild) swine + ?
T
Words beginning "ta - tl"
- terriers: A mess of terriers.
- tigers: An ambush of tigers.
- thieves: A gang of thieves.
- thugs: A gang of thugs.
Words beginning "tm - tz"
U
V
W
Words beginning "wa - wl"
- washing: A load of washing.
- whales: A gam of whales
- whales: A grind of bottle nosed whales
- whales: A herd of whales
- whales: A pod of whales (standard)
- whales: A school of whales (standard)
- whales: A shard of whales (standard)
- whalers: A gam of whalers.
- wildfowl: A bunch of wildfowl
- wildfowl: A knob less than 30 wildfowl
- wildfowl: A plump of wildfowl
- wildfowl: A trip of wildfowl
- witches: A cackle of witches
Words beginning "wm - wz"
X
Y
Z
Words beginning "za - zl"
Words beginning "zm - zz"
Reference
- ^ Oxford Reference Dictionary, Oxford University Press, 1986.
- ^ “clowder” in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–.
- ^ “farrow” in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–.
- ^ “gam” in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–.
- ^ “gang” in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–.
- ^ “herd” in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–.
- ^ “herd” in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–.
- ^ “kindle” in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–.
- ^ “litter” in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–.
- ^ “pack” in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–.
- ^ “pack” in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–.
- ^ “pack” in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 pod. (n.d.). The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Retrieved November 29, 2006, from Dictionary.com website[1]
- ^ pride. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.0.1). Retrieved November 29, 2006, from Dictionary.com website[2]
- ^ punnet. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.0.1). Retrieved November 29, 2006, from Dictionary.com website[3]
- ^ rout. (n.d.). The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Retrieved November 29, 2006, from Dictionary.com website[4]
- ^ school. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.0.1). Retrieved November 29, 2006, from Dictionary.com website[5]
- ^ shrewdness. (n.d.). The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Retrieved November 29, 2006, from Dictionary.com website[6]
- ^ skulk. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.0.1). Retrieved November 29, 2006, from Dictionary.com website[7]
- ^ sounder. (n.d.). The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Retrieved November 29, 2006, from Dictionary.com website[8]
- ^ stable. (n.d.). The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Retrieved November 29, 2006, from Dictionary.com website[9]
- ^ string. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.0.1). Retrieved November 29, 2006, from Dictionary.com website[10]
- ^ team. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.0.1). Retrieved November 29, 2006, from Dictionary.com website[11]
- ^ team. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.0.1). Retrieved November 29, 2006, from Dictionary.com website[12]
- ^ trip. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.0.1). Retrieved November 29, 2006, from Dictionary.com website[13]
- ^ cete. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.0.1). Retrieved November 29, 2006, from Dictionary.com website[14]
- ^ sloth. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.0.1). Retrieved November 29, 2006, from Dictionary.com website[15]
