This is basically an incorrect phrasing that has become a collective noun– that’s language for you! A nest of rumours Really?! This seems too good to be true… From a bit of research (read: a Wikipedia search), the internet tells me that “a fright of ghosts” may come from “a fraid of ghosts”, which is an eye dialect spelling (nonstandard written form, representing spoken language) of “afraid of ghosts”. Harlots (ITV, 2017-2019) A fright of ghosts Often, they were made to wear a coloured sash or striped hood to distinguish themselves from “a gaggle of (respected) women”. This collective noun may have some reasoning behind it though, as Medieval prostitutes may have been referred to as “a herd of harlots” to mark their inferiority and show their low standing in the social hierarchy. Pejorised over time to mean “prostitute”, the word harlot (originally meaning “vagabond”) really has drawn the short straw here. This terribly offensive collective noun is possibly one Englishman’s poor attempt at pissing off the Scots. One of the oldest rivalries in history: the English and the Scottish. A rascal of boysĪs a gal who loves a bevy (or two), the former just makes me laugh as a feminist, the latter makes me want to shake my fist and scream “boys will not be boys” at the top of my lungs. Take Our Poll Some (amusing) examples A bevy of girls vs. Collective nouns are typically incredibly imaginative and whimsical and often stand out, so when these everyday terms are pointed out to you as being one, you might find yourself questioning everything you’ve ever learnt (or not… maybe that’s just me…). A few that spring to mind are “a catalogue of prices”, “a library of books”, “an anthology of poems”, “a zoo of wild animals”, “a cast of actors”, and “a choir of singers”. Interestingly, it’s quite common for collective nouns to become embedded in common terms, so much so that it’s often difficult to establish which came first: the collective noun, or the common term (chicken and egg situation, amirite?). Topics include, but are not limited to: harlots, soufflés, terms of venery, and pugs. Most people are familiar with words such as group and bunch, which are frequently used in everyday speech and can be used to refer to people (“a group of people”), animals (“a group of dogs”), or things (“a bunch of things”)– even bananas (“a bunch of bananas”). In linguistics, a collective noun is a collection of things taken as a whole think “a class of students”, “a pride of lions”, or “a batch of cookies”. To do that, you write first the collective noun for that animal + the plural name of the animal.Collective nouns are, quite frankly, a very fascinating quirk of the English language, dating back hundreds of years. Now that you know the collective nouns for animals of the most diverse classes, you can start showing off your knowledge or finish your homework. Yaks – herd Group Names For Animals In Written Context Pigs – drift or drove (younger pigs), or sounder, team, or litter (older pigs) Vipers – nest Names for Groups of Domestic AnimalsĬats – clowder, glaring, pounce, or nuisance | Kittens – litter or kindleĬhickens – brood or peep | Chicks – clutch or chatteringĬows – kine, drove, herd, or fold | Twelve or more cows are a flinkĭogs – litter or cowardice | Puppies – litter Zebras – zeal Names for Groups of Reptiles Snails – escargatoire, rout, or walk Names for Groups of Mammalsīears – sloth (or sleuth) | Cubs – litter Wasps – pledge Names for Groups of Invertebrates Termites – colony or swarm (when in flight) Trout – hover Names for Groups of Insects Woodpeckers – descent Names for Groups of Fishįish – school, run, shoal, catch, or haul Waterfowl – bunch, knob, or raft (on water) Swans – wedge (when in flight), a bevy, or lamentation Geese – gaggle, flock, or skein (when in flight) Spiders – cluster or clutter The collective noun for flamingos is flamboyance Names for Groups of Birdsīelow are some names for groups of birds, but you can find a detailed article with many other collective nouns for birds here.įowl – plump, trip, or skein (when in flight) Toads – knot or knab Names for Groups of Arachnids Here are the animal names, along with their animal group names. Without further ado, let’s learn the collective names of animals! Collective Nouns for Animals: Animal Groups Names The book is so interesting that it even has collective nouns not only for animals but also for humans.Įither way, whether you want to learn how to call certain groups of animals or want to discover funny animal groups’ names, this post is for you. The first register of collective nouns for animals goes back to the 15th century in the Book of Saint Albans. While some names for groups of animals are pretty common, like a flock of birds, others are quite unusual and even hilarious. Wondering what to call a group of animals or the so-called collective nouns for animals? You’re not alone.
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