Collective nouns name groups of people, animals, or things as a single unit. They help you talk about bunches, teams, and gatherings efficiently.
Animals
Animal collective nouns often have colorful or traditional names, so learning them can make descriptions more vivid.
| English Collective Noun | English Collective Noun | |
|---|---|---|
| a flock of birds | a herd of elephants | |
| a pack of wolves | a troop of monkeys | |
| a pod of dolphins | a colony of ants | |
| a swarm of bees | a gaggle of geese |
People
Collective nouns for people usually relate to their role or activity, making it easy to group individuals by function.
| English Collective Noun | English Collective Noun | |
|---|---|---|
| a crew of sailors | a band of musicians | |
| a team of players | a panel of experts | |
| a class of students | an audience of spectators | |
| a staff of workers | a jury of peers |
Things
Collective nouns for things group objects by type or use, helping to summarize large quantities with a single term.
| English Collective Noun | English Collective Noun | |
|---|---|---|
| a bunch of bananas | a fleet of ships | |
| a pile of books | a set of dishes | |
| a cluster of stars | a collection of stamps | |
| a stack of papers | a gallery of paintings |
Summary
Collective nouns package groups into single names, making speech and writing more concise and often more colorful.
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025