Recently, I wrote about bunches. I mentioned that a group of people can be called a bunch. Of course, it’s more common to call a big group of people “a crowd.” For example, above is a photo I took of a crowd of people waiting outside Tenmangu Shrine in the New Year holiday.
Did you know English has many different words to describe groups of things, especially animals? We call these words “collective nouns.” (Collective nouns for animals are also known as “terms of venery” – but you don’t need to know that!) Here are some examples…
Dogs, wolves, foxes, and other dog-like animals are called “a pack.”
Did you know English has many different words to describe groups of things, especially animals? We call these words “collective nouns.” (Collective nouns for animals are also known as “terms of venery” – but you don’t need to know that!) Here are some examples…
Dogs, wolves, foxes, and other dog-like animals are called “a pack.”
A Pack of Wolves
Deer, cows, elephants, horses, and most other grass-eating animals are called “a herd.”
A Herd of Horses
Generally, a group of any kind of fish can be called “a school.” (However, many fish species have their own special collective nouns.)
A School of Fish
As with fish, a group of any kind of bird can be called “a flock.”
A Flock of Seagulls
Many bird species also have their own collective nouns. My favorite is “a murder,” the collective noun for a flock of crows.
A Murder of Crows
Yesterday morning, there was a murder in my neighborhood. I’ve posted a few photos on our online photo album. Click on A Murder of Crows to check them out!
If you want to learn many more collective nouns for animals, click here!
