SUBJECT | COLLECTIVE TERM | |
aardvarks | An aarmory of aardvarks | Spurious |
academics? | A faculty of academics | |
accountants | A balance of accountants | Uncertain |
actors | A company of actors | |
actors | A cast of actors | |
aircraft | A wing of aircraft | |
anatomists | A corps of anatomists | Spurious |
angels | A chorus of angels | |
angels | A host of angels | |
ants | An army of ants | |
ants | A swarm of ants | |
ants | A colony of ants | |
antelope? | A herd of antelope | |
apes | A shrewdness of apes | |
arrows? | A quiver of arrows | |
arsonists? | A conflagration of arsonists | |
asses? | A pace of asses | |
asteroids | A belt of asteroids | |
athletes? | A team of athletes | |
auks? | A raft of auks | Uncertain |
automobile dealers | A lot of automobile dealers | Spurious |
baboons? | A flange of baboons | |
baboons? | A congress of baboons | |
bacteria | A culture of bacteria | |
badgers? | A cete of badgers | |
pipers? | A poverty of pipers | |
barbers? | A babble of barbers | Spurious |
barons? | A thought of barons | |
bats | A colony of bats | |
beans | A hill of beans | |
bears | A sloth of bears | |
beauties | A bevy of beauties | |
beavers | A colony of beavers | |
beavers | A lodge of beavers | |
bees | A grist of bees | |
bees | A hive of bees | |
bees | A swarm of bees | |
birds | A dissimulation of birds | |
birds | A volery of birds | |
bitterns? | A sedge of bitterns | |
bitterns? | A siege of bitterns | |
blackfish? | A grind of blackfish | Uncertain |
boars? | A singular of boars | |
boars? | A sounder of boars | |
books | A library of books | |
bookkeepers? | An audit of bookkeepers | |
boys? | A rascal of boys | |
bread? | A batch of bread | |
[brush (wood)]? | A bavin of brush (wood) | |
buffalo | An obstinacy of buffalo | |
buffalo | A herd of buffalo | |
bullfinches? | A bellowing of bullfinches | |
bureaucrats? | A shuffle of bureaucrats | |
bureaucrats? | A bloat of bureaucrats | Spurious |
butterflies? | A rabble of butterflies | Uncertain |
butterflies? | A rainbow of butterflies | |
butterflies? | A kaleidoscope of butterflies | Uncertain |
buzzards | A wake of buzzards | |
camels | A flock of camels | |
capons? | A mews of capons | |
cards? | A deck of cards | |
cardiologists | A flutter of cardiologists | Spurious |
cats (feral or wild) | A destruction of cats (feral or wild) | |
cats | A clowder of cats | |
cats | A clutter of cats | |
cats | A glaring of cats | |
cats | A pounce of cats | |
cats | A cluster of cats | |
kittens (cats) | A kindle of kittens (cats) | |
caterpillars? | An army of caterpillars | |
cattle | A kine of cattle | |
cattle | A herd of cattle | |
starlets | A galaxy of starlets | |
chamois? | A herd of chamois | |
chickens? | A peep of chickens | |
chicks? | A clutch of chicks | |
eggs? | A clutch of eggs | |
hens? | A brood of hens | |
poultry? | A run of poultry | |
choughs? | A clattering of choughs | |
choughs? | A chattering of choughs | |
clams? | A bed of clams | |
cobblers | A drunken ship of cobblers | |
cockroaches? | An intrusion of cockroaches | Uncertain |
cod? | A lap of cod | Uncertain |
coins? | A roll of coins | |
coins? | A rouleau of coins | |
computers | A network of computers | |
coots? | A cover of coots | |
coots? | A raft of coots | |
cormorants? | A flight of cormorants | |
courtiers? | A threatening of courtiers | |
cattle | A drove of cattle | |
cows | A herd of cows | |
cows | A flink of cows | |
cranes? | A sedge of cranes | |
critics? | A pan of critics | Spurious |
crocodiles? | A bask of crocodiles | |
crows? | A storytelling of crows | |
crows? | A hover of crows | |
crows? | A murder of crows | |
curs? | A cowardice of curs | |
curlews? | A head of curlews | |
data | A donut of data | Spurious |
deer? | A leash of deer | |
deer? | A herd of deer | |
deer? | A parcel of deer | |
roes? | A bevy of roes | |
doctors | A doctrine of doctors | |
hounds | A cry of hounds | |
puppies | A litter of puppies | |
show dogs | A bench of show dogs | Uncertain |
dolphins? | A pod of dolphins | |
dotterel? | A trip of dotterel | |
doves? | A piteousness of doves | |
doves? | A flight of doves | |
doves? | A dule of doves | |
doves? | A pitying of doves | |
doves? | A prettying of doves | |
doves? | A dole of doves | |
[ducks (diving)]? | A dopping of ducks (diving) | |
[ducks (flying)]? | A plump of ducks (flying) | |
[ducks (on water)]? | A paddling of ducks (on water) | |
ducks? | A team of ducks | |
ducks? | A flush of ducks | |
ducks? | A raft of ducks | |
dunlin? | A fling of dunlin | |
eagles? | A convocation of eagles | |
pupils | A dilation of pupils | Spurious |
eels? | A swarm of eels | |
eels? | A fry of eels | Uncertain |
elephants | A herd of elephants | |
elephants | A parade of elephants | |
elk? | A gang of elk | |
employees? | A staff of employees | |
engineers | A geek of engineers | Spurious |
experts | A panel of experts | |
fairies? | A herd of fairies | |
falcons? | A cast of falcons | |
ferrets? | A fesnying of ferrets | |
ferrets? | A business of ferrets | |
figs? | A newton of figs | Spurious |
finches? | A trembing of finches | |
finches? | A charm of finches | |
finches? | A trimming of finches | |
fish | A draught of fish | |
fish | A shoal of fish | |
fish | A scale of fish | |
fish | A drift of fish | |
fish | A school of fish | |
fishermen? | An exaggeration of fishermen | Spurious |
flamingoes? | A stand of flamingoes | |
flowers? | A patch of flowers | |
flowers? | A bouquet of flowers | |
flies? | A business of flies | |
flies? | A swarm of flies | |
foxes | A skulk of foxes | |
foxes | A leash of foxes | |
friars? | A scull of friars | |
frogs? | An army of frogs | |
mourners | A cortege of mourners | |
geologists | A conglomerate of geologists | Spurious |
giraffes | A corps of giraffe | |
giraffes | A tower of giraffes | Uncertain |
girls? | A giggle of girls | |
gnats? | A clout of gnats | Uncertain |
gnats? | A horde of gnats | |
gnats? | A cloud of gnats | |
goats? | A trip of goats | |
goats? | A tribe of goats | |
goldfinches? | A drum of goldfinches | |
goldfinches? | A troubling of goldfinches | |
[geese (flying)]? | A wedge of geese (flying) | |
geese? | A gaggle of geese | |
geese? | A skein of geese | |
geese? | A flock of geese | |
geese? | A nide of geese | |
gorillas | A band of gorillas | |
gorillas | A woop of gorillas | |
goshawks? | A flight of goshawks | |
grandparents? | A wisdom of grandparents | |
grapes | A bunch of grapes | |
grasshoppers? | A cloud of grasshoppers | |
grasshoppers? | A cluster of grasshoppers | |
grouse? | A lek of grouse | Uncertain |
grouse? | A covey of grouse | |
grouse? | A pack of grouse | |
guillemots? | A bazaar of guillemots | |
gulls? | A colony of gulls | |
gulls? | A screech of gulls | |
hackers | A cruft of hackers | Spurious |
hares? | A down of hares | |
hares? | A leap of hares | |
hares? | A husk of hares | |
hares? | A trip of hares | |
hares? | A trace of hares | |
harpers? | A melody of harpers | |
hawks? | A kettle of hawks | |
hawks? | A cast of hawks | |
hedgehogs? | A prickle of hedgehogs | |
herons? | A siege of herons | |
herrings? | A glean of herrings | |
hippopotami? | A bloat of hippopotami | Uncertain |
hippopotami? | A crash of hippopotami | |
homework? | A slew of homework | |
hoodlums? | A gang of hoodlums | |
colts | A rag of colts | |
colts | A rake of colts | |
horsemen | A cavalcade of horsemen | |
horses | A harass of horses | |
horses | A stable of horses | |
horses | A team of horses | |
mares | A stud of mares | |
ponies | A string of ponies | |
racehorses | A field of racehorses | |
hounds? | A pack of hounds | |
hounds? | A mute of hounds | |
hounds? | A cry of hounds | |
hummingbirds? | A charm of hummingbirds | |
husbands? | A multiply of husbands | |
hyenas | A clan of hyenas | |
idiots | A thicket of idiots | Spurious |
impediments? | A vagary of impediments | |
information | A wealth of information | |
islands | A chain of islands | |
islands | An archipelago of islands | |
jays? | A party of jays | |
jays? | A scold of jays | Uncertain |
jays? | A band of jays | |
jellyfish? | A fluther of jellyfish | |
jellyfish? | A smack of jellyfish | |
jewels? | A cache of jewels | |
jugglers? | A neverthriving of jugglers | |
kangaroos | A court of kangaroos (see note) | Spurious |
kangaroos | A mob of kangaroos | |
kangaroos | A troop of kangaroos | |
keys? | A ring of keys | |
knights | A rout of knights | |
knights | A banner of knights | |
ladies? | A bevy of ladies | |
lapwings? | A desert of lapwings | |
lapwings? | A deceit of lapwings | |
larks? | An ascension of larks | |
larks? | An exaltation of larks | |
lawyers | A huddle of lawyers | |
leopards? | A leap of leopards | |
lepers? | A colony of lepers | |
librarians | A catalogue of librarians | Spurious |
lions? | A pride of lions | |
lions? | A sowse of lions | |
lions? | A sault of lions | |
lizards | A lounge of lizards | Spurious |
locusts? | A plague of locusts | |
lorries? | A convoy of lorries | |
magpies? | A tiding(s) of magpies | |
mallards? | A sord of mallards | |
mallards? | A lute of mallards | Uncertain |
men | A band of men | |
martens? | A richness of martens | |
mathematicians | A number of mathematicians | |
mathematicians | A set of mathematicians | |
matrons? | A riches of matrons | |
mechanics? | A clutch of mechanics | Spurious |
meteorologists | A shower of meteorologists | Spurious |
midges? | A bite of midges | Uncertain |
misers? | A horde of misers | Spurious |
mites? | A mite of mites | Uncertain |
moles | A labour of moles | |
moles | A company of moles | |
moles | A movement of moles | |
money | A wad of money | |
riches | A embarassment of riches | |
winnings | A purse of winnings | |
monitors | A bank of monitors | |
monks | An abomination of monks (see note) | Spurious |
monkeys? | A tribe of monkeys | |
monkeys? | A mission of monkeys | |
mosquitoes? | A scourge of mosquitoes | |
mountains? | A range of mountains | |
mice | A nest of mice | |
mice | A mischief of mice | |
mudhen? | A fleet of mudhen | Uncertain |
mules? | A barren of mules | |
mules? | A Rake of mules | |
natives? | A tribe of natives | |
nightingales? | A watch of nightingales | |
nouns? | A collective of nouns | |
nudists | A hangout of nudists | Spurious |
nuns? | A superfluity of nuns | |
onlookers? | A crowd of onlookers | |
orthodontists? | A brace of orthodontists | Spurious |
owls? | A parliament of owls | |
owls? | A stare of owls | |
oxen? | A team of oxen | |
oxen? | A yoke of oxen | |
oxen? | A span of oxen | |
oysters? | A bed of oysters | |
painters | An illusion of painters | |
pandas | A pandemonium of pandas | Spurious |
parrots? | A pandemonium of parrots | Uncertain |
parrots? | A company of parrots | |
partridges? | A covey of partridges | |
partridges? | A bew of partridges | Uncertain |
pathologists? | A body of pathologists | Spurious |
peacocks? | A pride of peacocks | |
peacocks? | A muster of peacocks | |
peacocks? | An ostentation of peacocks | |
pekinese? | A pomp of pekinese | |
penguins | A parcel of penguins | Uncertain |
penguins | A rookery of penguins | Spurious |
penguins | A creche of penguins | |
penguins | A huddle of penguins | |
penguins | A colony of penguins | |
performers? | A troupe of performers | |
pheasants? | A covey of pheasants | |
pheasants? | A nye of pheasants | |
pheasants? | A bouquet of pheasants | |
philosophers | A ponder of philosophers | |
physicists | A nucleus of physicists | Spurious |
theoretical physicists | A field of theoretical physicists | Spurious |
hogs? | A parcel of hogs | |
hogs? | A drift of hogs | Uncertain |
hogs? | A passel of hogs | |
piglets? | A farrow of piglets | |
piglets? | A litter of piglets | |
pigs? | A drove of pigs | |
pigs? | A herd of pigs | |
pigs? | A sounder of pigs | |
pigeons? | A kit of pigeons | Uncertain |
pigeons? | A loft of pigeons | |
plovers? | A congregation of plovers | |
plumbers? | A flush of plumbers | Spurious |
polar bears | An aurora of polar bears | |
polecats? | A chine of polecats | |
porpoises? | A turmoil of porpoises | Uncertain |
possum? | A passel of possum | Uncertain |
preachers? | A converting of preachers | |
prelates? | A pontifica of prelates | |
princes? | A state of princes | |
programmers | An asylum of programmers | Spurious |
prose? | An anthology of prose | |
harlots | A heard of harlots | |
prostitutes | An anthology of prostitutes (see note) | Spurious |
psychoanalysts | A complex of psychoanalysts | Spurious |
quail | A covey of quail | |
quail | A bevy of quail | |
conies? | A bury of conies | |
[kittens (rabbits)]? | A wrack of kittens (rabbits) | |
rabbits? | A colony of rabbits | |
rabbits? | A bury of rabbits | |
rabbits? | A nest of rabbits | |
raccoons? | A gaze of raccoons | |
rats? | A pack of rats | |
rats? | A colony of rats | |
rats? | A swarm of rats | |
rats? | A rabble of rats | |
ravens | An unkindness of ravens | |
ravens | A conspiracy of ravens | |
rebuttals | A quiver of rebuttals | |
relatives? | A descent of relatives | Spurious |
rhinoceroses? | A crash of rhinoceroses | |
rooks? | A building of rooks | |
rooks? | A clamour of rooks | |
ruffs? | A hill of ruffs | |
salmon? | A run of salmon | |
salmon? | A bind of salmon | |
sandpipers? | A fling of sandpipers | |
satellites | A constellation of satellites | |
scots? | A disworship of scots | |
[sea fowl]? | A cloud of sea fowl | |
seagulls? | A flock of seagulls | |
seals | A spring of seals | |
seals | A pod of seals | |
seals | A plum of seals | Uncertain |
[secret agents]? | A bond of secret agents | Spurious |
senators? | A house of senators | |
servants? | An obesiance of servants | |
lambs? | A fall of lambs | |
sheep? | A flock of sheep | |
sheep? | A trip of sheep | |
sheldrakes? | A doading of sheldrakes | |
sailors | A crew of sailors | |
ships | A flotilla of ships | |
ships | A fleet of ships | |
ships | An armada of ships | |
snails? | A rout of snails | |
snakes? | A den of snakes | |
snakes? | A bed of snakes | |
snakes? | A pit of snakes | |
snakes? | A nest of snakes | |
snakes? | A slither of snakes | |
snipe? | A walk of snipe | |
snipe? | A wisp of snipe | |
soldiers? | A company of soldiers | |
soldiers? | A brigade of soldiers | |
soldiers? | A squad of soldiers | |
soldiers? | A platoon of soldiers | |
soldiers? | A division of soldiers | |
sparrows? | A ubiquity of sparrows | |
sparrows? | A quarrel of sparrows | |
sparrows? | A host of sparrows | |
spiders? | A clutter of spiders | |
spiders? | A cluster of spiders | |
squirrels | A dray of squirrels | |
stars | A galaxy of stars | |
starlings? | A murmuration of starlings | |
stockbrokers? | A portfolio of stockbrokers | Spurious |
storks? | A muster of storks | |
storks? | A phalanx of storks | Uncertain |
strumpets? | A blast of strumpets | Spurious |
students? | A class of students | |
swallows? | A flight of swallows | |
swallows? | A gulp of swallows | Spurious |
[swans (flying)]? | A wedge of swans (flying) | |
swans? | A whiteness of swans | |
swans? | A bevy of swans | |
swans? | A bank of swans | |
swans? | An eyrar of swans | Uncertain |
swine? | A sounder of swine | |
swine? | A drift of swine | |
submarines | A pack of submarines | |
tailors? | A disguising of tailors | |
tasks? | An agenda of tasks | |
teal? | A spring of teal | |
teal? | A diving of teal | |
thieves? | A den of thieves | |
things? | A bunch of things | |
thrushes? | A mutation of thrushes | |
tigers | A streak of tigers | |
tigers | An ambush of tigers | |
toads? | A knot of toads | |
toddlers? | A mine of toddlers | Spurious |
tourists | A flock of tourists | |
trash? | A heap of trash | |
[tree surgeons]? | A graft of tree surgeons | Spurious |
trees | A grove of trees | |
trees | A thicket of trees | |
trees | A stand of trees | |
troops? | A parel of troops | |
trout? | A hover of trout | |
trucks? | A convoy of trucks | |
tubas (players) | A tumult of tubas (players) | Spurious |
turkeys | A rafter of turkeys | |
turkeys | A raffle of turkeys | |
turtles? | A turn of turtles | |
turtles? | A dule of turtles | |
turtles? | A bale of turtles | |
turtledoves? | A pitying of turtledoves | |
unicorns? | A blessing of unicorns | |
[vicaries (vicars)]? | A prudence of vicaries (vicars) | |
vipers? | A nest of vipers | |
wagers? | A book of wagers | |
waiters? | An indifference of waiters | Spurious |
walruses | A herd of walruses | |
walruses | An ugly of walruses | |
waterfowl? | A plump of waterfowl | |
waterfowl? | A knob of waterfowl | Uncertain |
weasels? | A sneak of weasels | |
whales | A school of whales | |
whales | A herd of whales | |
whales | A pod of whales | |
whales | A gam of whales | |
widgeon? | A coil of widgeon | |
widows? | An ambush of widows | Spurious |
wikipedians | A page of wikipedians | |
witches | A coven of witches | |
wolves | A rout of wolves | |
wolves | A pack of wolves | |
wolves | A rout of wolves | |
women | A gaggle of women | |
woodpeckers? | A descent of woodpeckers | |
worms | A clew of worms | Uncertain |
worshipers? | A congregation of worshipers | |
yeomen? | A fellowship of yeomen | |
zebra | A zeal of zebra | |
zebra | A herd of zebra | |
Notes:
The phrase "An abomination of monks" is frequently cited as a legitimate collective noun for monks. It is actually a misinterpretation of the title of a protestant treatise written by Jan Hus around 1400.
An "anthology of prostitutes" is a pun on "anthology of prose", as "pro" is a common contraction for prostitute in Britain and elsewhere.
The phrase "A court of kangaroos" is frequently thought to be legitimate, given the (quite unrelated) expression "a kangaroo court". There is no known evidence of its legitimacy as a collective noun, however.