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subject collective noun aardvarks armoury academics faculty accidents pile accountants balance acrobats troupe activities schedule actors cast actresses entrance actuaries table adders sum administrators network admirals bridge adolescents acne advocates argument aeroplanes flight agents deal aircraft flight albatrosses rookery aliens (extraterrestrial) attack aliens (noncitizens) boatload alligators congregation alpacas herd ambassadors delegation ambulances fleet ammunition cache amoebas ooze anatomists corps angels host anglers catch animals herd antelopes herd ants army apartments block apes shrewdness apples bushel apple trees orchard archer fish company archers company architects rendering armadillos roll armoured cars column arms cache arrows quiver art museum artillery battery artistes troupe asparagus bundle asses herd asteroids belt astrologers knot astronauts trajectory astronomers galaxy athletes team attendants entourage attorneys greed auctioneers hammer auks flock aunts suffocation Aussies outback authors advance avocets colony baboons troop bachelors score bacteria culture badgers cete bakers aroma balloons festival bananas hand bankers wunch baptists immersion barbers babble barons thought barracuda battery bartenders promise bass fleet bats colony beads string beans hill bears sleuth beauties bevy beautiful ladies bevy beavers colony bees swarm beggars fighting bells peal bills wad birds flock bishops bench bison gang bitterns sedge blankets swelter bloodhounds sute blossoms flourish boars herd boats fleet bobolinks chain bombs cluster bookkeepers audit books library bottles couple bowls set boxers ring boys blush brats passel bread batch bridegrooms thrall brides thrill bucks herd budgerigars flock buffaloes herd bullets shower bullfinches bellowing bullocks drove bureaucrats shuffle buses fleet busboys spill bushes hedge bustards flock butchers goring butlers draught butterflies flight butterfly fish school buzzards wake camels flock canaries opera candidates slate candies mint canyons maze capitalists syndicate cardinals conclave cards deck caribou herd carpenters pound cars fleet caterpillars army Catholics mass cats clowder cattle herd cavalry squadron cellists parenthesis cellphones babel censors omitting chairs fold chamois herd chartered planes fleet cheerleaders frenzy cheetahs coalition chefs soupçon chemists colloid chess players board chickens brood children ingratitude chimpanzees whoop chinchillas herd choughs chattering churchgoers congregation churls cluster circuits bank clams bed clerks school clothes bundle clouds soufflé clowns pratfall coaches fleet cobblers cutting cobras quiver cockatoos chattering cockroaches intrusion cod lap coins roll collective nouns catch colts rag comedians gaggle commercials glut commuters dash computer operators byte computer programmers megabyte composers chorus computers cluster con artists scam concubines harem condiments accompaniment conies bury construction workers piling contestants frenzy convicts gang cooks hastiness coots commotion cormorants flight corn sheaf cotton bale coughs chattering courtesans harem courtiers threatening cousins countryside cowboys saunter cows herd coyotes band crabs scuttle cranes herd creditors curse credit cards quicksand cricketers eleven crickets orchestra critics pan crocodiles bask crows murder cubs litter cuckolds incredibility curates charge curlews head curs cowardice cymbals sign cynics bark dancers troupe deans decorum debt mountain debtors split debutantes diffidence decorators tantrum deer herd dentists amalgam dermatologists rash designers subtlety devils legion diamonds cluster diapers load dice luck dictators tyranny dictionaries meaning dieters pot dieticians tray dinosaurs herd diplomats branle directions vane directors board dirty clothes load divorcees desperation doctors doctrine documents wealth dodos extinction dogs pack dollars fistful dolphins pod dominoes falling donkeys herd dotterels trip doves bevy dowagers bevy dragons flight drawers chest drinks round drugs cocktail drummers roll drums kettle drunks load ducklings fleet ducks flock dunbirds flight dunces confederacy dung pile dunlins fling dust pile dwarves shortage eagles convocation earthquakes swarm economists deficit editors erudition eels swarm eggs clutch egos pumphouse eland herd electors college electricians grid elephants herd elk herd elves drove embarrassments blush emotions wash employees staff emus mob engineers design Englishmen pound environmentalists vigilance equestrians prance errands hassle errors comedy estimations bout events chain exams series executives board experts panel exterminators slew fairies herd falcons cast families clutch fans thrill farmers plain fathers distraction fencers poke ferrets business finches charm figure skaters axel fire baptism firefighters pluck firewood fagot fireworks exultation fireflies conflagration fish school fishermen drift flags bunting flamingos stand flats block flies swarm florists bouquet flowers bouquet flutists flutter food pantry fools company footballers team foresters stalk fowl roost foxes skulk freezers glacier Frenchmen peck freshmen plenitude friars skulk friends circle frogs Army fruits basket fruittrees orchard fungi colony furniture suite gamblers roll gangsters mob garbage pile gardeners sprinkling gastroenterologists movement gays village gears rack geese flock geldings clipping genealogists tree generals glitter geneticists helix geologists conglomerate gerbils horde Germans gross ghosts fright giraffes herd girls giggle gloves elicat glaziers crash gluttons slaver gnats cloud gnus herd goats herd gods pantheon gold hoard goldfinches charm goldfish glint golf balls flight golf carts skitter golf clubs set golfers lie goons plunder gorillas band goshawks flight goslings skein gossips dish gourmands delicatessen gourmets delicatessen governesses galaxy graduate students fortitude graduates unemployment graffiti eyesore grammarians conjunction grandparents wisdom grapes bunch grasses fistful grasshoppers cloud greeting cards bromide greyhounds leash griffins pride grits mess grouse covey guillemots bazaar guinea pigs group guitarists fret gulls colony gunfire hail guns battery gunships hailstorm gurus profit gymnasts tumbler gynaecologists handful gypsies store hackers cruft hair lock hairdressers pouf hamsters horde hangers jangle hares down harlots herd harpists melody harps twangle harts herd hawks cast hay truss hedgehogs prickle heirs expectation helicopters hover hens brood hermits observance herons siege herrings glean hides dicker hills range hinds parcel hippies trip hippopotamuses bloat historians argumentation hogs sounder homework slew homosexuals ensemble hornets nest horsemen cavalcade horses herd hostlers laughter hounds pack housekeepers foresight houses huddle hummingbirds charm hunters blast husbands multiplying hyenas clan hypocrites regiment ibex herd ibises colony ice floe icebergs drift ice cream bowl ice cream carts chime ichthyologists scale icons shield ideas floodlight idiots thicket iguanas mess impalas couple impressionists blur infantry crèche information wealth in-laws imposition insects swarm instruments parley Irishmen pint islands chain Italians explosion jackdaws band jaguars prowl jam preserve jays band jellyfish fluther jets fleet jewellers ring jewelery cache jobs string jockeys race joggers wheeze journalists scoop judges bench jugglers neverthriving juice pack juniors gratitude jurors damning kangaroos mob kestrels hover keys ring kids caper keglers bowl kingfishers realm kings line kites soar kittens kindle kleptomaniacs clutch knaves riffraff knights banner knots cluster laborers gang ladies bevy ladybirds loveliness lambs fall landlords laches lapwings deceit larks exaltation lawnmowers rasp lawyers huddle leaves autumn lecturers drift leopards leap lepers colony lesbians tough letters budget leverets kindle liars glorifying librarians catalogue lice colony lies tissue lines pencil linguists babble lions pride listeners audience lizards lounge llamas herd loafers multiplication loaves batch lobbyists buttonhole locals plague lobsters risk locksmiths sesame locusts plague lollies packet lords leaping lorries fleet lovebirds pair lovers trance luggage odyssey luminaries array lutists litany lynx chain lyricists bridge machine guns nest mackerel shoal magazines labyrinth magicians illusion magistrates bench magpies tiding maidens rage mailmen round mallards sord malls sprawl managers asylum manicurists file maps atlas mares stud marines muscle martens richness martins richess masseurs pummel masters example matadors pavanne matches book mathematicians number matrons riches mechanics clutch mediators compromise meerkats clan members council men band merchants faith merlins cast messengers diligence metallurgists amalgamation meteorologists shower mice nest microbiologists colony midges bite midwives expectation millionaires wealth ministers assembly minks richness minnows stream misers horde mockingbirds impression models slouch moles company money wad mongooses band mongrels ménage monitors bank monkeys troop monks abominable sight monsters bestiary moorhens plump moose herd Mormons book morning glories dawn morticians slab mosquitoes scourge mothers consternation mothers-in-law mutter motorcyclists clutch mountaineers uprising mountains range mourners cortege mud hens fleet mules barren museums march mushrooms troop musicians band mussels bed narcissists reflection nations league natives tribe neighbours annoyance nerves bundle nestlings brood newsboys scream newscasters veneer newspapers stack newts armada nieces squeal nightingales watch night watchmen pallor northerners freeze notes wad nouns collective noises gallimaufry numbers set nuns superfluity nurses dearth nymphomaniacs spread oarsmen row objects collection oboists plaint octopuses consortium office boys ogle officers mess oncologists lump onions rope onlookers crowd operas grandiosity ophthalmologists retinue optometrists vision oranges pocket orangutans buffoonery orators podium orchids coterie orgiasts concatenation orphans abandonment orthodontists brace orthopaedists cast osteopaths joint ostriches flock otologists herd otters bevy ovens range oxbirds fling oxen herd owls parliament oysters bed painters illusion paisleys swirl palindromes tenet palm readers handful pandas embarrassment paparazzi flash paper ream paratroopers storm pardoners lying parents persistence parishioners kneeling parking attendants lot parrots company partridges covey pathologists body patients virtue peacocks muster pearls string peas pod peasants toil peddlers malapertness pediatricians shot pelicans colony penguins colony people crowd perch pack percussionists meter peregrines cadge performers troupe pharmacists tincture pheasants bouquet philatelists stampede philosophers ponder photographers snap photographs album physicians college physicists nucleus pianists pound pictures portfolio pigeons flock piglets litter pigs herd pilchards shoal pilots yoke pintails knob pipers poverty pirates band planes flight plants nursery players team playing cards deck plovers congregation plumbers flush plums basket pochard rush poems anthology poets iamb poker players stud polar bears aurora polecats chine police posse politicians equivocation ponies string Poodles salon porcupines prickle porpoises school porters grip portfolio managers stock posers posse possums passel postal workers parcel potholes whiplash pottage mess potters wheel poultry run prairie dogs coterie preachers converting priests mass prima donnas spite princes state princesses royalty principals lack prisoners pity producers panic professions gamut professors tenure programmers archive proofreaders squint prose anthology psychoanalysts complex psychologists complex prostitutes stable ptarmigans parliament public speakers twaddle puddles splash puffins raft Pugs grumble puma prowl puns groan puppies litter pyromaniacs blaze quail bevy Quakers meeting quarterbacks sack questions number quilts hotbed rabbits colony raccoons gaze racehorses string radiologists series rags bundle rams battery rats pack rattlesnakes rhumba ravens unkindness realtors lot reasons rainbow rebuttals quiver redwing crowd reeds clump refugees flight reindeer herd relatives descent repairmen overcharge reporters scoop reviewers pan rhinoceroses crash riches embarrassment rioters melee robbers band robins worm roe deer bevy robots cog rooks building rooms suite roses bouquet ruffs hill ruins heap runners field sailors crew saints calendar salesmen sample salmon bind salt lot sand heap sandpipers fling sardines family satellites orbit savages horde scholars brow schoolboys rout Scots clan seagulls flock Sea horses herd seals herd seamstresses scolding seismologists quake senators house seniors attitude sergeants subtlety sermons squash servants obeisance shad shoal sharks school sheep herd sheldrakes dopping shells salvo shepherds Sodom sheriffs posse ships fleet shoemakers blackening shoes scandal shoppers crush shopping carts samba shrimps troup silk-screens pull silk skein similes superfluity singers choir sirens wail skunks stench slaves coffle sloths slumber slugs cornucopia smokers billow snails rout snakes den snipe whisper snow blanket software crash soldiers army sophomores platitude sopranos sweetness sparrows host spiders cluster spies duplicity sponsors splurge squirrels scurry stairs flight stalkers following stamps album starfish galaxy starlets galaxy starlings murmuration stars galaxy statisticians number steps flight stewards credence sticklebacks spread sticks fagot stingrays fever stoats pack stockbrokers portfolio storks muster strawberries punnet strumpets flourish students class submarines pack suitcases pack suitors swarm summoners untruth sundays month surfers wave surgeons incision surprises boo 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salesmen great deal ushers seat utensils set vacationers peel vampires coven vans fleet vegetables basket vegetarians sprig vehicles convoy vendors haggle vessels fleet vicars prudence violinists string vipers nest voles colony voters constituency vultures wake wagers book waiters absence walkers amble wallabies mob walruses herd warships armada warthogs sounder washing machines shudder wasps nest waterfowl plump weapons cache weasels sneak weavers shuttle whales school wheat sheaf whelps litter whiting pod whores parliament widgeon company widows ambush wildcats destruction wildebeest herd wild boars sounder wildfowl plump willows bend windmills tilt wine tasters bouquet wing commanders flush winners shout winnings purse witches coven wives impatience wizards congeries wolves pack wombats mob women gaggle wood cord woodcocks fall woodpeckers descent woodwinds cord wool bale words charm workers team worms clew worshipers congregation wrens herd wrestlers clutch writers worship yachts fleet yaks herd years score yeomen fellowship yesterdays flight yogurt assortment youths optimism zebras herd zombies stench What is a collective noun A collective noun is a noun that refers to a group of people, animals or things. Most collective nouns in everyday speech are not specific to one kind of thing, such as the word "group", which can be applied to people ("a group of people") or dogs ("a group of dogs") or other things. Some collective nouns are specific to one kind of thing, especially terms of venery, which identify groups of specific animals. For example, "pride" as a term of venery always refers to lions. For example, a group of owls is called a parliament. Here is the complete list of all the collective nouns.