collective nouns

Collective Nouns (with Examples)

A collective noun is the word used to represent a group of people, animals, or things. In the info graphic below, the collective nouns are shown in yellow.

Common Collective Nouns Used for People

Here are some examples of common collective nouns used for people:

• A band of musicians
• A board of directors
• A choir of singers
• A class of students
• A crowd of people
• A gang of thieves
• A pack of thieves
• A panel of experts
• A team of players
• A troupe of dancers

Common Collective Nouns Used for Animals

Here are some examples of common collective nouns used for animals:

• An army of ants
• A flock of birds
• A flock of sheep
• A herd of deer
• A hive of bees
• A litter of puppies
• A murder of crows
• A pack of hounds
• A pack of wolves
• A school of fish
• A swarm of locusts
• A team of horses
• A pride of lions

Of interest, collective nouns that describe a specific group of animals are called terms of venery.

Common Collective Nouns Used for Things

Here are some examples of common collective nouns used for things:

• A bouquet of flowers
• A bunch of flowers
• A fleet of ships
• A forest of trees
• A galaxy of stars
• A pack of cards
• A pack of lies
• A pair of shoes
• A range of mountains
• A wad of notes

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