List of collective nouns

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A skein of geese

This is a list of Standard English collective nouns. The large number of collective nouns in English is based on a tradition of venery which arose in the Late Middle Ages.

Standard terms for particular groups are listed first in each group and shown in bold.

Subject Collective Noun Notes Sources
A
alligators congregation [1]
antelope herd [2][3]
ants army [1][4]
bike [4]
colony [1][2][4]
nest [1]
swarm [1][4]
apes shrewdness [3][4][5][6]
troop [1][4]
asses herd [1][4]
coffle a roped line [4]
drove driven in a group [1][4]
pace or passe [1][2][4]
auks colony on land [4]
flock at sea [4]
raft on water [4]
avocets colony [4]
B
baboons troop [1][6][7]
badgers cete [1][2][6][7][8]
colony [7]
barbels shoal [7]
bats cloud [7]
colony [2][7]
bears sleuth or sloth [1][2][6][7]
beavers colony [1][7]
family [1]
bees swarm [7]
colony [7]
erst [7]
grist [2][7]
birds flock [7]
dissimulation fanciful [5][7]
fleet [7]
flight [7]
parcel [7]
pod [7]
volary in an aviary [7]
bishops bench [8]
bison herd [7]
bitterns sedge or sege [2][5][9]
siege [7]
boars (male pigs) herd See also hogs, pigs, swine [7]
singular [7]
boars (wild boars) sounder 12 or more [7][8]
boys blush [5][6]
buffalo herd [2][7]
gang [2][7]
bullfinches bellowing [7]
bullocks drove driven in a group [7]
bustards flock [7]
butlers draught [5]
butterflies flight [7]
rabble [7]
buzzards wake [1][2]
C
camels caravan [1]
flock [1]
train [1]
capercaillie tok [10][11]
capons mews [10]
caribou herd [10]
cats clowder [1][2][10]
cluster or clutter [1][10]
glaring [1][10]
pounce [1][2]
cats (wild cats) destruction [6]
caterpillars army [1]
cattle herd [1][2]
drove [1][2]
chickens brood [1][6]
clutch [6]
peep [1][6]
choughs chattering or clattering [5][6][8][12][13]
cobblers drunkenship or drunkship [6][8][14]
colts rag [2][6][8]
rake [6]
cormorants gulp [1][2]
cooks hastiness [5][6]
coots covert [5][6]
coyotes pack [10]
cranes herd [5][6]
sedge or sege [2][9][10]
crocodiles bask [1][2][10]
float [1]
crows murder [1][2][6][8]
curlews herd [5][6][8]
D
deer herd [15]
bunch [15]
mob [15]
parcel [16]
rangale [15]
dogs pack [15]
dogfish troop [15]
dolphins pod [17][18]
school [15]
team [15]
dotterel trip [2][6][15][19]
doves dole or dule fanciful [2][5][6][15]
flight [1][6][15]
piteousness fanciful [6][15]
ducks flock [1]
badling [2]
brace [2]
bunch on water [6][15]
paddling on water [1][2][6][15]
plump [20][21]
raft on water [1][2][6][15]
skein in flight [15]
sord or sore [15]
string in flight [15]
team in flight [2][15]
waddling [15]
dunlins fling [6]
E
eagles convocation [1][2]
eels bed [1]
swarm [1]
elephants herd [1][2]
elk gang [6][8]
emus mob [1]
F
ferrets business corruption over time of 'busyness' [1][2][8]
busyness [5]
fesnyng [3]
finches charm or chirm [1][2][6]
fish school [1][2]
shoal [1][2]
flamingoes stand [1][2]
flies business [1][2]
cloud [1]
swarm [1]
foresters stalk [6][14]
foxes leash [1][2]
skulk [1][2]
frogs army [1][2]
G
geese flock on land [2][22]
gaggle on land [1][2][22]
plump flying close [22]
skein in flight [1][2][22]
team in flight [22]
wedge in flight [22]
giraffes herd [22]
corps [22]
tower [2][22]
gnats cloud [1][2][6][22]
horde [1][2][22]
rabble [22]
swarm [1][22]
goats flock [22]
herd [22]
tribe [22]
trip or trippe [22]
gods pantheon See Pantheon
goldfinches charm [22]
goosanders dopping [22]
gorillas band [22]
whoop [22]
goshawks flight [5][22]
grasshoppers cloud [2][22]
swarm [22]
grouse covey [6][22]
pack [6][22]
guineafowl rasp [23]
H
hares down [24]
drove [24]
flick [24]
husk [24]
hawks boil two or more spiralling in flight [1][2]
cast [1][2][5][6]
kettle flying in large numbers [1][2]
lease [5]
harts herd [24]
hedgehogs array [24]
herons sedge or sege [1][2][5][8][9][24]
siege [1][2][6][24]
hermits observance [6][14]
hippopotamuses bloat [1][2][24]
hogs parcel See also boars, pigs, swine [25][26]
horses team in harness [1][2][24]
band [1]
haras or harrase [2][24]
herd [1][24]
stable [1][24]
string [1][2][24]
stud [2][24]
hounds pack [24]
cry [24]
hunt [24]
meet [24]
mute [24]
stable [24]
hyenas cackle [1][2]
I
ibex herd [27]
ibises colony [27]
iguanas mess [27]
insects flight [27]
horde [27]
plague [27]
rabble [27]
swarm [27]
J
jackdaws train [28]
clattering [29]
jays band [1]
party [1][2]
scold [1][2]
jellyfish fluther [6]
smack [1][2][6]
K
kangaroos mob [1]
troop [1][2]
L
lapwings deceit or desert [2][5][6][8][30]
larks bevy [6]
exaltation [5][6][8]
leopards leap or lepe [1][2][6]
lions pride [1][2][6]
sawt [6]
M
mackerel shoal [31]
magpies charm [2]
congregation [31]
gulp [2]
murder [2]
tiding [2][5][6][31]
tittering [31]
mallard brace [2]
flush [31]
puddling [31]
sord [2][6][31]
suit or sute [6][31]
mares stud [6][8][31]
martens richesse or richness [2][6][31]
mice nest [1][31]
mischief [32]
trip [31]
minnows shoal [31]
moles company [31]
labor or labour [1][2][6][31]
monkeys barrel [1][2]
cartload [31]
tribe [31]
troop [2][6][31]
moorhens plump [31]
moose herd [1][31]
mosquitoes scourge [31]
mudhens fleet [31]
mules barren [1][2][6][8][31]
pack [2][31]
rake [31]
span [1][2][31]
N
nightingales watch [5][6]
nuns superfluity [5][6]
O
owls parliament [1][2][8]
oxen drove [1]
team [1][2]
yoke [1][2]
P
parrots company [1][2]
pandemonium [1]
partridges covey [2][6]
peacocks muster [2][6][8]
ostentation [1][2]
pride [1]
pelicans pod [1]
pheasants bouquet [1][2]
head [6]
nest [2]
nide [2]
nye [1][2][6][8]
pigs drift See also boars, hogs, swine [1][2]
drove [1][2]
pipers poverty [14][33]
pigeons kit flying together [6]
plovers congregation [5][6]
stand [6]
wing [6]
Q
quail bevy [1][2][5][6]
covey [1][2]
drift [6]
R
raccoons gaze [1]
ravens unkindness [5][6]
rhinoceroses crash [1][2][6]
rooks building [5][6]
parliament [6][8]
S
salmon bind [34]
draught [34]
run [34]
sandpipers fling [34]
seals herd [34]
pod [34]
rookery [34]
sheep flock [1][2][34]
down [34]
drift when driven in a group [34]
drove when driven in a group [2][34]
herd [2][34]
hurtle [1][34]
meinie [34]
mob [1]
parcel [34]
trip [34]
sheldrake dopping [34][35]
snails escargatoire [34]
rout [34]
walk [34]
snakes bed [1]
den [1]
knot [1]
nest [2]
pit [1]
snipe walk [6][8][34]
whisp or wisp [6][34]
sparrows host [1][2][5][6][34]
meinie [34]
tribe [34]
spiders cluster or clutter [1][34]
squirrels colony [34]
dray [1][2]
scurry [1][2]
starlings chattering [1][12][34]
clattering [34]
cloud [34]
congregation [34]
murmuration [1][5][6][8][34]
stoats pack [34]
trip [34]
storks flight [34]
mustering [1][2][34]
phalanx when migrating [34]
swallows flight [1][2][34]
gulp [34]
swans bank on the ground [1][34]
bevy [1][2][34]
drift [34]
eyrar [34]
flight [1]
game [6][34]
herd [1][34]
lamentation fanciful [34]
sownder [34]
team [34]
wedge in flight [1][2][6][34]
whiting [34]
swifts flock [34]
scream [36]
swine doylt See also boars, hogs, pigs [34]
drift [8][34]
trip [34]
T
teal spring [2][5][6]
tigers ambush [1]
streak [1][2]
toads knot [1][2]
nest [1]
trout hover [1][2]
turkeys gang [2]
rafter [1][2]
turtles bale [1][2]
dole [1]
nest [2]
turtle doves dole or dule [5]
pitying [2]
U
V
vipers nest [2]
W
walruses herd [2]
pod [2]
waterfowl bunch [6]
knob [6]
raft [6]
weasels colony [1]
pack [1]
whales gam [1][2]
herd [2]
mob [1]
pod [1][2]
wigeons company [2][6]
trip [6]
wildfowl bunch [6]
knob fewer than 30 [6]
plump [6]
trip [6]
wolves pack [1][2]
rout or route when in movement [1][2]
woodcocks fall [2][5][6]
woodpeckers descent [1][2][6]
wrens herd [5][6]
X
Y
Z
zebras herd [1][37]
cohort [37]
zeal [1][37]

See also [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ 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 aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx by bz ca cb cc cd ce cf cg ch ci cj ck cl cm cn co cp cq cr cs ct cu cv cw cx cy cz da db dc dd de df dg dh di dj dk dl dm dn do dp dq dr ds dt du dv dw dx dy dz ea eb ec ed ee ef eg "Animal group names". Zoological Society of San Diego. Retrieved 2012-06-15. 
  2. ^ 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 aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx by bz ca cb cc cd ce cf cg ch ci cj ck cl cm cn co cp cq cr cs ct cu cv cw cx cy cz da db dc dd de df dg dh di dj dk dl dm dn do dp dq dr ds "Animal Congregations, or What Do You Call a Group of.....?". U.S. Geological Survey Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center. Retrieved 2012-06-15. 
  3. ^ a b c Pepper, Elizabeth (2003). Witches all (Revised, Illustrated ed.). Tiverton, Rhode Island: Witches' Almanac Limited. p. 41. ISBN 9781881098263. 
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "AskOxford: A". archived copy of Collective Terms for Groups of Animals. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. Retrieved 2012-06-15. 
  5. ^ 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 aa ab ac ad ae Berners, Dame Juliana (1881 reproduction) [First published 1486]. The Boke of Saint Albans. Introduction by William Blades. London: Elliot Stock. Retrieved 2011-05-27. 
  6. ^ 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 aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx by bz ca cb cc cd ce cf cg ch "What do you call a group of ...?". Oxford Dictionaries. Retrieved 2012-06-15. 
  7. ^ 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 aa ab ac ad ae "AskOxford: B". archived copy of Collective Terms for Groups of Animals. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. Retrieved 2012-06-15. 
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Schott, Ben (2002). Schott's Original Miscellany. London: Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 11. ISBN 0-7475-6320-9. Retrieved 2011-10-17. 
  9. ^ a b c Definition of Sege by the Free Online Dictionary
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i "AskOxford: C". Collective Terms for Groups of Animals. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. Retrieved 2009-02-16. 
  11. ^ British Trust for Ornithology - BirdFacts - Capercaillie
  12. ^ a b Definition of Chattering by the Free Online Dictionary
  13. ^ Definition of Clattering by the Free Online Dictionary
  14. ^ a b c d The Sports and Pastimes of the People of England p. 19 (Methuen & Co., 1801).
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "AskOxford: D". archived copy of Collective Terms for Groups of Animals. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. Retrieved 2011-05-27. 
  16. ^ Full text of "Days of deer-stalking in the Scottish Highlands; including an account of the nature and habits of the red deer, a description of the Scottish forests, and histor...
  17. ^ "Battle to save NY pod of dolphins". BBC News. 17 January 2007. Retrieved 8 May 2010. 
  18. ^ A Pod of Dolphins - NASA Mars Collection
  19. ^ British Trust for Ornithology - BirdFacts - Dotterel
  20. ^ http://dictionary.infoplease.com/plump
  21. ^ Plump[4] - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary
  22. ^ 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 "AskOxford: G". archived copy of Collective Terms for Groups of Animals. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. Retrieved 2012-06-15. 
  23. ^ Lieut.-Colonel B. G. Lynn-Allen (1951). Shot-gun and Sunlight - The Game Birds of East Africa. London: Batchworth Press. 
  24. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u "AskOxford: H". archived copy of Collective Terms for Groups of Animals. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. Retrieved 2011-09-19. 
  25. ^ Avery Craven (1957). The coming of the Civil War. University of Chicago Press. p. 30. ISBN 0-226-11894-0. 
  26. ^ Lars Schoultz (1998). Beneath the United States. Harvard University Press. p. 1. ISBN 0-674-92276-X. "They are lazy, dirty, nasty, and in short I can compare them to nothing but a parcel of hogs. (John Quincy Adams, age 12)" 
  27. ^ a b c d e f g h "AskOxford: I". archived copy of Collective Terms for Groups of Animals. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. Retrieved 2011-05-27. 
  28. ^ White, Gilbert (1833). The Natural History of Selborne. London, United Kingdom: N. Hailes. p. 163. 
  29. ^ Skull, Amanda. "Bird Watch - Jackdaw". Bird Watch. British Trust for Ornithology. Retrieved 7 May 2013. 
  30. ^ British Trust for Ornithology - BirdFacts - Lapwing
  31. ^ 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 "AskOxford: M". archived copy of Collective Terms for Groups of Animals. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. Retrieved 2011-09-23. 
  32. ^ http://www.bluecross.org.uk/2000-109789/a-mischief-of-mice-found-starved-in-abandoned-pet-shop-need-new-homes.html
  33. ^ Ben Jonson, William Gifford (2004). The Works of Ben Jonson with Notes, Critical and Explanatory and a Biographical Memoir Part Three. Kessinger Publishing. p. 152. ISBN 1-4179-4469-2. 
  34. ^ 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 aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb "AskOxford: S". archived copy of Collective Terms for Groups of Animals. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. Retrieved 2012-06-15. 
  35. ^ Definition of Dopping by the Free Online Dictionary
  36. ^ British Trust for Ornithology - BirdFacts - Swift
  37. ^ a b c "AskOxford: Z". Retrieved 2010-06-22. 
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