Collective

nouns are
used to
describe a
group or
collection of
individuals.
This includes
groups of
people,
animals
and inanimat
e objects.
They have
developed
throughout
the history of
the English
language,
Boys Plush, Rascal
Boy Scouts Troop
Brewers Feast
Brownies Pack
Bureaucrats Shufe
Butchers Goring
Butlers Sneer
Candidates Slate
Canons Chapter, Dignity
Capitalists Company, Syndicate
Cardinals College
Carpenters Pound
Catholics ass
Censors Gaggle
Cheerleaders !rray
Chess Players Board, Brood
Churchgoers Congregation
Clerks Rookery, School
Clowns !lley, Prat"all
Co##lers Cutting, Drunkship
Comedians Gaggle, Riot
Communists Colhose
Cooks $astiness
Cow#oys Ca%%y, Saunter
with new collective nouns still being created, although time will tell if these latest
additions will survive (think a hood of bros!, a array of geeks!".
#any of the collective nouns for animals were developed by the $ritish upper classes in
the medieval period to serve the dual purposes of helping with hunting and to
differentiate themselves from the working classes.
Animals
Collective noun Phrase
a herd a herd of elephants
a herd of deer
a herd of cattle
a pack a pack of wolves
a pack of dogs
a flock a flock of birds
a flock of sheep
a swarm a swarm of bees
a swarm of flies
a shoal a shoal of fish

People
Collective noun Phrase
a group a group of people
a crowd a crowd of people
a gang a gang of thieves
a gang of youths (derogatory)
a panel a panel of experts
a panel of judges
a board a board of directors
a bunch a bunch of idiots (derogatory)
a troupe a troupe of acrobats
Other
Collective noun Phrase
a bunch a bunch of bananas
a bunch of grapes
a bunch of flowers
a bunch of keys
a pack a pack of cards
a pile a pile of rubbish
a set a set of rules
a group a group of islands
a series a series of events
a shower a shower of rain
a fall a fall of snow
Collective noun %people
Group Collective Nouns
!cademics Faculty
!cro#ats Troupe
!ctors Cast, Company, Condescension, Cry, &ueue
!ctresses 'ntrance
!ldermen Bench
!rsonists Con(agration
!rtistes Troupe
!thletes Team
Bakers Ta#ernacle
Bar#ers Ba##le
Barmen Promise
Barons Thought
Barristers Boast, )iggery
Bastards Shower
Beaters S*uad
Beauties Bea%y, Gala+y
Beggars Fighting
Bishops
Bench, Psalter, Sea
These collective nouns are commonly used under the category of people.
&. ' class of students.
(. 'n army of soldiers.
). ' choir of singers.
*. ' crew of sailors.
+. ' band of musicians.
,. ' bunch of crooks.
-. ' crowd of people.spectators.
/. ' gang of thieves.
0. ' group of dancers.
&1. ' team of players.
&&. ' troupe of artists.dancers.
&(. ' pack of thieves.
&). ' staff of employees.
&*. ' regiment of soldiers.
&+. ' tribe of natives.
&,. 'n audience of listeners.
&-. ' panel of e2perts.
&/. ' gang of labourers.
&0. ' flock of tourists.
(1. ' board of directors.
The following collective nouns are used for animals.
&. ' catch of fish.
(. 'n army of ants.
). ' flight of birds.
*. ' flock of birds.
+. ' haul of fish.
,. ' flock of sheep.
-. ' herd of deer.cattle.elephants.goats.buffaloes.
/. ' hive of bees.
0. ' litter of cubs.
&1. ' host of sparrows.
&&. ' team of horses.
&(. ' troop of lions.
&). ' 3oo of wild animals.
&*. ' pack of wolves.
&+. ' litter of puppies.kittens.
&,. ' swarm of bees.ants.rats.flies.
&-. ' team of horses.ducks.o2en.
&/. ' murder of crows.
&0. ' kennel of dogs.
(1. ' pack of hounds.
The following collective nouns are used for things.
&. ' group of islands.
(. ' gala2y of stars.
). ' wad of notes.
*.
+. ' forest of trees.
,. ' stack of wood.
-. ' fleet of ships.
/. ' string of pearls.
0. 'n album of stamps.autographs.photographs.
&1. ' hedge of bushes.
&&. ' library of books.
&(. ' basket of fruit.
&). ' bowl of rice.
&*. ' pack of cards.
&+. ' pair of shoes.
&,. ' bou4uet of flowers.
&-. ' bunch of keys.
&/. ' chest of drawers.
&0. ' pack of lies.
(1. ' range of mountains.
(&. ' cloud of dust.
Subject Collective noun
A
alligators congregation
Subject Collective noun
antelopes herd
ants army
ants colony
ants nest
ants swarm
apes shrewdness
apes troop
asses herd
asses drove
asses pace or passe
B
baboons troop
badgers cete
Subject Collective noun
bats colony
bears sleuth or sloth
beavers colony
beavers family
bees swarm
bees drift
bees erst
bees grist
bicycle racers peloton
birds flock
birds dissimulation
birds flight
Subject Collective noun
birds pod
bitterns sedge or sege
boars (wild boars) sounder
boys blush
buffalo herd
bullfinches bellowing
bullocks drove
butlers draught
butterflies flutter
butterflies swarm
buzzards wake
Subject Collective noun
C
camels caravan
camels flock
camels train
capercaillie tok
capons mews
caribou herd
caterpillars army
cats clowder
cats cluster or clutter
cats glaring
cats pounce
cats (wild cats) destruction
Subject Collective noun
cattle herd
cattle drove
chickens brood
chickens clutch
chickens peep
choughs chattering or clattering
cobblers drunkenship or drunkship
cockroaches intrusion
colts rag
colts rake
cooks hastiness
coots covert
Subject Collective noun
cormorants gulp
coyotes pack
cranes herd
cranes sedge or sege
crocodiles bask
crocodiles float
crows murder
curlews herd

deer herd
deer bunch
deer mob
Subject Collective noun
deer parcel
deer rangale
dogfish troop
dogs pack
dolphins pod
dolphins school
dolphins team
dotterel trip
doves dole or dule
doves flight
doves piteousness
ducks flock
Subject Collective noun
ducks badling
ducks brace
ducks bunch
ducks paddling
ducks plump
ducks raft
ducks skein
ducks sord or sore
ducks string
ducks team
ducks waddling
dunlins fling
Subject Collective noun
!
eagles convocation
eels bed
eels swarm
elephants herd
elephants memory
elk gang
elk herd
emus mob
"
ferrets business
ferrets busyness
Subject Collective noun
ferrets fesnyng
finches charm or chirm
fish school
fish shoal
flamingoes stand
flies business
flies cloud
flies swarm
foresters stalk
fo#es leash
fo#es skulk
frogs army
Subject Collective noun
$
geese flock
geese gaggle
geese plump
geese skein
geese team
geese wedge
giraffes herd
giraffes corps
giraffes tower
gnats cloud
gnats horde
Subject Collective noun
gnats rabble
gnats swarm
goats flock
goats herd
goats tribe
goats trip or trippe
goldfinches charm
goosanders dopping
gorillas band
gorillas whoop
goshawks flight
grasshoppers cloud
Subject Collective noun
grasshoppers swarm
grouse covey
grouse pack
guineafowl rasp
%
hares down
hares drove
hares flick
hares husk
harts herd
hawks boil
hawks cast
Subject Collective noun
hawks kettle
hawks lease
hedgehogs array
hermits observance
herons sedge or sege
herons siege
hippopotamuses bloat
hogs parcel
horses team
horses band
horses haras or harrase
horses herd
Subject Collective noun
horses stable
horses string
horses stud
hounds pack
hounds cry
hounds hunt
hounds meet
hounds mute
hounds stable
hyenas cackle
&
ibe# herd
Subject Collective noun
ibises colony
iguanas mess
insects flight
insects horde
insects plague
insects rabble
insects swarm
'
jackdaws train
jackdaws clattering
jays band
jays party
Subject Collective noun
jays scold
jellyfish fluther
jellyfish smack
(
kangaroos mob
kangaroos troop