Collective Nouns

In linguistic terms, a collective nouns refers to a collection of things when viewed as a whole. Many collective nouns are very generic (e.g. 'group') but others are very specific to a particular animal, for example. This collection is organized by collective noun, and the noun(s) to which they belong. Not all the collective nouns on this list are part of the official English lexicon, but are fun to see nontheless.

• aerie

  eagles, hawks

• ambush

  tigers, widows

• archipelago

  islands

• argument

  architects, wizards

• argumentation

  historians

• armada

  ships

• army

  ants, caterpillars, eagles, frogs, herrings

• array

  hedgehogs

• arsenal

  guns

• ascension

  larks

• assembly

  clergy

• aurora

  polar bears

• badelynge

  ducks (on the ground)

• bag

  game

• bale

  turtles

• band

  coyotes, gorillas, jays, men, musicians

• bank

  batteries, circuits, monitors, lifts/elevators

• banner

  knights

• barrel

  monkeys

• barren

  mules

• bask

  crocodiles

• basket

  plums

• batch

  bread

• battery

  artillery, barracuda, guns

• bazaar

  guillemots

• bed

  clams, flowers, oysters, snakes

• bellowing

  bullfinches

• belt

  asteroids

• bench

  bishops, judges, magistrates

• bevy

  beauties, deer (roe deer), doves, ladies, larks, maidens, otters, quail, roe deer, swans

• bew

  partridges

• bill

  ruffs

• bind

  eels, salmon

• bits

  information

• blessing

  unicorns

• bloat

  hippopotami

• blush

  boys

• board

  directors

• bob

  seals

• boil

  hawks

• boll

  flour

• bond

  women

• book

  wagers

• bouquet

  flowers, pheasants (when flushed)

• brace

  bucks, ducks (a pair), grouse, pheasants (a pair)

• branch

  Mormons (Latter-day Saints)

• brew

  beer

• brigade

  soldiers

• brood

  chickens, chicks, grouse (single family), hens, turkeys (young)

• bubble

  divers

• budget

  papers

• building

  rooks

• bunch

  bananas, grapes, seals, pigeons

• bundle

  asparagus

• bury

  conies, rabbits

• business

  ferrets, flies

• cache

  jewels, weapons

• canteen

  cutlery

• caravan

  camels

• cartload

  chimpanzees, monkeys

• cast

  actors, falcons, hawks

• caste

  flower-pots

• catch

  collective nouns

• cavalcade

  horsemen

• celebration

  polar bears

• cete

  badgers

• chain

  bobolinks, events, islands, matches

• charm

  finches, fairies, goldfinches, hummingbirds

• chatter

  budgerigars

• chattering

  chicks, choughs, goldfinches

• chest

  drawers

• chine

  polecats

• choir

  angels

• chorus

  angels

• circus

  puffins

• clamour

  rooks

• clan

  hyenas

• clash

  bucks

• clashing

  economists

• class

  students

• clattering

  choughs

• clew

  worms

• clique

  people/friends

• cloud

  gnats, grasshoppers, sea fowl

• clowder

  cats

• cluck

  chickens

• clump

  reeds, trees

• cluster

  bombs, cats, computers, grapes, grasshoppers, spiders, stars

• clutch

  chicks, eggs, motorcyclists

• clutter

  cats, spiders, starlings

• coalition

  cheetahs

• codex

  classicists

• coil

  wigeon

• colony

  ants, badgers, bats, beavers, frogs, fungus, gulls, lepers, penguins, puffins (on land), rabbits, rats, seals, vultures

• commonwealth

  bees

• communion

  saints

• community

  people

• company

  actors, moles, parrots, soldiers, wigeon

• confab

  doctors

• conflagration

  arsonists

• confraternity

  smokers

• confusion

  architects

• congregation

  alligators, birds, crocodiles, people, plovers, worshippers

• congress

  baboons, Esperantists

• conspiracy

  ravens

• constellation

  stars, Esperantists

• converting

  preachers

• convocation

  eagles, clergy

• convoy

  lorries, trucks

• copse

  trees

• cornucopia

  slugs

• corps

  giraffes

• cortege

  mourners

• cost

  managers

• cote

  doves

• coterie

  prairie dogs

• coven

  witches

• cover

  coots

• covert

  coots

• covey

  grouse, partridges, pheasants (on the ground), ptarmigans, quail, woodcock

• cowardice

  curs

• cran

  herrings

• crash

  hippopotami (hippos), rhinoceri (rhinos), seals

• creche

  penguins

• crew

  sailors

• crowd

  onlookers, people

• cry

  dogs, hounds

• culture

  bacteria

• death row

  turkeys

• deceit

  lapwings

• deck

  sailors

• den

  thieves

• descent

  relatives, woodpeckers

• desert

  lapwings

• destruction

  cats (feral)

• dicker

  hides

• disguising

  tailors

• dissimulation

  birds

• diving

  teal

• division

  soldiers

• doading

  sheldrakes

• dole

  doves, turtles

• dopping

  ducks (diving), sheldrakes

• dout

  cats (house cats)

• down

  hares, rabbits, sheep

• doyft

  swine

• draft

  soldiers

• draught

  butlers, fish

• dray

  squirrels

• drift

  bees, boars (herded), hogs, swans (on water), swine

• dropping

  pigeons

• drove

  asses, bullocks, cattle, donkeys, goats, hares, oxen, pigs, rabbits, sheep

• drum

  goldfinches

• dule

  doves, turkeys, turtles

• durante

  toucans

• earth

  foxes

• eleven

  cricketers, footballers

• embarrassment

  riches

• equivocation

  politicians

• erst

  bees

• escargatoire

  snails

• exaltation

  larks

• faculty

  academics

• faggot

  sticks

• fall

  lambs, woodcock

• family

  beavers, otter

• farrow

  pigs (piglets)

• fellowship

  yeomen

• fesnying

  ferrets

• fesnyng

  ferrets

• festival

  balloons

• fesynes

  pheasants

• fidget

  altar boys

• field

  racehorses, runners

• fine

  parking wardens

• fitting

  sails

• fixie

  hipsters

• flange

  baboons

• flap

  nuns

• fleet

  bass, boats, cars, ducklings, foxes, lorries, ships, vessels, trucks, vehicles

• flick

  rabbits

• flight

  aeroplanes, bees, birds, cormorants, doves, dragons, goshawks, pigeons, stairs, steps, swallows

• fling

  dunlins, oxbirds, sandpipers

• flink

  cows

• float

  crocodiles

• flock

  birds, bustards, camels, chickens, ducks, geese, goats, parrots, pigeons, seagulls, sheep, swifts, tourists, turkeys

• flotilla

  boats, swordfish

• flourish

  strumpets

• flush

  ducks (brood), mallards (on land)

• fluther

  jellyfish

• flutter

  flags

• fold

  cattle, sheep

• fraunch

  millers

• fun

  fish

• gaggle

  geese (on the ground),ficers

• galaxy

  starlets

• gam

  whales

• gang

  elk, hoodlums, labourers, slaves, thieves

• garland

  sonnets

• garrison

  gophers

• gathering

  clans

• gatling

  woodpeckers

• gaze

  raccoons

• generation

  vipers

• giggle

  girls

• glaring

  cats

• gleam

  herrings

• glide

  flying fish

• glint

  goldfish

• glitter

  generals

• glory

  unicorns

• grist

  bees

• group

  guinea pigs, islands, people

• grove

  trees

• gulp

  cormorants

• hand

  bananas

• haras

  horses

• harem

  seals

• haul

  fish

• head

  curlews

• heap

  trash

• heard

  harlots

• hedge

  herons

• herd

  antelope, asses, boar, buffalo, buffaloes, caribou, cattle, chamois, chinchillas, cows, cranes, deer, donkeys, elephants, elk, fairies, giraffes (tower), gnus (paper), goats (caper), hippopotami, horses, llamas, moose, oxen, pigs, ponies, sea horses, seals, swans, swine, walruses, whales, wolves, wrens, yaks (conversation), zebras (crossing)

• hill

  beans, ruffs

• hive

  bees

• holiness

  donuts

• horde

  gerbils, gnats (itching), hamsters, mice, rats, savages

• host

  angels, sparrows

• house

  senators

• hover

  crows, trout

• huddle

  lawyers, penguins

• hunt

  hounds

• hurtle

  sheep

• husk

  hares, rabbits

• illusion

  painters

• implausibility

  gnus

• index

  names

• infestation

  bed bugs

• intrusion

  cockroaches

• invention

  machines

• kaleidoscope

  butterflies

• kendle

  kittens

• kennel

  dogs

• kettle

  hawks

• kindle

  kittens

• kine

  cattle

• kingdom

  rats

• knab

  toads

• knob

  seals, teal, wigeon

• knot

  frogs, toads

• l

  pigeons

• labour

  moles

• lamentation

  swans

• lead

  foxes

• leap

  lambs, leopards

• leash

  bucks, deer, foxes, greyhounds, hares, hawks, hounds, rabbits

• lepe

  leopards

• library

  books

• litter

  cats (kittens), cubs, dogs (puppies), kittens, piglets, pups, whelps

• lodge

  beavers

• lounge

  lizards

• loveliness

  ladybirds

• machination

  monkeys

• malapertness

  pedlars

• marvel

  unicorns

• mask

  raccoons

• mass

  priests

• match

  nightingales

• melody

  harpers

• memory

  elephants

• menagerie

  animals

• mess

  grits, iguanas,ficers

• mews

  capons

• miller

  whores

• mischief

  mice, rats

• mob

  emus, kangaroos, meerkats, thieves, sheep (Australian), wallabies (bounce)

• mouthful

  worms

• movement

  moles

• multiply

  husbands

• murder

  crows

• murmuration

  starlings

• muscle

  marines

• muster

  peacocks, soldiers, storks

• mustering

  storks

• mutation

  thrush

• mute

  hounds

• nest

  beakers, crocodiles, eggs, hornets, machine guns, mice, pheasants, rabbits, snakes, vipers, wasps

• neverthriving

  jugglers

• nide

  pheasants (on the ground)

• nosegay

  flowers

• nuisance

  cats (house cats)

• number

  mathematicians

• nursery

  raccoons

• nye

  pheasants (on the ground)

• obesiance

  servants

• observance

  hermits

• obstinacy

  buffaloes

• orchard

  apples

• orchestra

  musicians

• ostentation

  peacocks

• outfit

  sails

• pace

  asses, donkeys

• pack

  bears (polar bears), coyotes, dogs, grouse (large group), gulls, hounds, mongooses, mules, rats, sharks, stoats, weasels, wolves

• paddling

  ducks (swimming)

• panel

  experts

• panes

  glass

• pantheon

  gods

• parade

  elephants, penguins

• parcel

  deer, hogs, penguins

• parel

  troops

• park

  artillery, cars

• parliament

  owls, ptarmigans, rooks

• party

  jays, rainbow fish

• passel

  brats, hogs, possums

• peal

  bells

• peep

  chickens

• piddle

  puppies

• pile

  books, dung

• pint

  mussels

• pit

  snakes

• piteousness

  doves

• pitying

  doves, turtle doves

• plague

  locusts, rats

• platoon

  soldiers

• plump

  ducks (flying), seals, waterfowl, wildfowl, woodcock

• pocket

  hops, oranges

• pod

  dolphins, peas, porpoises, seals, walruses, whales, whiting

• ponder

  philosophers

• pontification

  preachers, priests

• pool

  typists

• posse

  police

• pounce

  cats

• poverty

  pipers

• prattle

  parrots

• prettying

  doves

• prickle

  hedgehogs, porcupines

• pride

  lions, peacocks

• prudence

  vicars

• puddling

  mallards (on water)

• pump

  ducks (in flight)

• punnet

  strawberries

• purse

  winnings

• quabble

  woodlice

• quarrel

  sparrows

• quire

  newspapers

• quiver

  arrows, cobras

• rabble

  butterflies

• radiance

  cardinals

• raffle

  turkeys

• raft

  alligators, coots, ducks (while idle in water), otters, penguins (in water), puffins (on water), widgeon

• rafter

  turkeys

• rag

  colts

• rainbow

  butterflies

• rake

  colts, mules

• rangale

  deer

• range

  mountains

• rayful

  knaves

• rhumba

  rattlesnakes

• richesse

  martens

• ring

  keys

• roll

  coins

• romp

  otters

• rookery

  penguins, seals

• roost

  fowls, pigeons

• rope

  onions, pearls

• rouleau

  coins, money

• round

  drinks

• rout

  knights, wolves

• route

  wolves

• royalty

  princesses

• rumble

  artillery

• rump roast

  nouns

• rumpus

  baboons

• run

  fish, hens, poultry, salmon, whales

• rush

  pochards

• salvo

  gunfire

• sarcasm

  stagehands

• sault

  lions

• scatter

  ravers

• school

  butterfly fish, fish, porpoises, salmon, shark, sharks, whales

• scold

  jays

• scorn

  camels

• scourge

  mosquitoes

• screech

  gulls

• scurry

  squirrels

• sea

  bishops

• sect

  worshippers

• sedge

  bitterns, cranes, herons

• sequitur

  logicians

• serving

  spoons

• set

  bowls, utencils, golf clubs, sails

• setting

  eggs

• sheaf

  arrows, corn

• shimmer

  hummingbirds

• shitload

  stuff

• shoal

  bass, fish, herrings, pilchards, salmon

• shower

  bastards

• shrewdness

  apes

• shuffle

  bureaucrats

• siege

  bitterns, cranes, herons

• singular

  boars

• sizzle

  sausages (snaggle)

• skein

  geese (in flight), goslings, silk

• skirl

  bagpipes

• skulk

  foxes, friars

• slate

  candidates

• sleuth

  bears

• slew

  homework

• slither

  snakes

• sloth

  bears

• smack

  jellyfish

• snarl

  leopards

• snatch

  pickpockets

• sneak

  weasels

• sord

  mallards, wildfowl

• sounder

  boars, hogs, pigs (wild pigs), swine

• soviet

  ants

• sowse

  lions

• span

  mules, oxen

• spawn

  umbrellas

• spinney

  trees

• spring

  teals

• sprinkle

  hoses

• squad

  players, soldiers

• squadron

  aeroplanes

• stable

  horses

• staff

  servants, employees

• stage

  actors

• stalk

  foresters

• stand

  arms, flamingo, plovers, trees

• staple

  zines

• stare

  owls

• state

  princes

• stench

  skunks

• stick

  (air-dropped) bombs, paratroopers

• stock

  businessmen

• storytelling

  crows, ravens, rooks

• streak

  tigers

• stream

  minnows

• string

  ducks, pearls, ponies, racehorses

• stud

  horses (for breeding), mares

• suite

  rooms

• superfluity

  nuns

• sute

  mallards, bloodhounds

• swarm

  ants, bees, butterflies, eels, flies, gnats, insects, rats

• swirl

  paisleys

• tassel

  strippers

• team

  athletes, cattle, ducks (in flight), footballers, horses, oxen, players, seals

• tenement

  rooms

• thought

  barons

• threatening

  courtiers

• thunder

  dragons

• tiding

  magpies

• tittering

  magpies

• toil

  peasants

• tok

  capercaillies

• torment

  trainers

• totter

  giraffes

• tower

  giraffes

• trace

  hares, rabbits

• trembling

  finches

• tribe

  baboons, goats, monkeys, natives, sparrows

• trimming

  finches

• trip

  dotterel, dotterels, goats, hares, rabbits, sheep, wildfowl

• troop

  apes, baboons, dancers, dogfish, horsemen, horses, kangaroos, lions, monkeys, mushrooms

• troubling

  goldfinches

• troupe

  monkeys, shrimp(s), dancers, minstrels, performers

• truss

  hay

• tuft

  grass

• tumult

  tubas

• turn

  turtles

• ubiquity

  sparrows

• unkindness

  ravens

• venue

  vultures

• vineyard

  grapes

• volery

  birds

• wad

  bills, money

• waddle

  penguins (dry land)

• wake

  buzzards, vultures

• walk

  snails, snipe (at rest)

• warren

  hares, rabbits, wombats

• watch

  nightingales, sailors

• wealth

  information

• wedge

  geese (flying in a V), swans (flying in a V)

• weyr

  dragons

• wheel

  puffins (flying)

• whiteness

  swans

• whoop

  gorillas

• wing

  dragons, plovers

• wisdom

  grandparents, owls

• wisp

  snipe (in flight)

• wolfpack

  submarines

• wrack

  rabbits (young rabbits)

• yap

  chihuahuas

• yoke

  cattle (two), oxen (two)

• zap

  lasers

• zeal

  zebras