Collective Noun
Refers to the noun used to describe groups of things:
- A herd herd of cows
- A flock of sheep
- A swarm of bees
This is an actual noun – you can refer to “the herd” or “the flock” or “the swarm.” I assume that most singular nouns have a collective equivalent? If it doesn’t, do you default to “group”? Here’s a big list.
Why I Looked It Up
On a phone call, someone said they “invited a gaggle of people.” It got me thinking.
Postscript
Here’s a 15-minute video about the origins of collective nouns:
Crazy collective nouns & where they came from
Postscript
Added on July 21, 2023
I found a cartoon with dead crow in the background and a racoon in the foreground telling a group of crows:
As your lawyer, I’d advise you immediately find a new collective term.
The joke is that the collective noun for a group of crows is a “murder of crows.”
(Honestly, I have no idea why the lawyer was a raccoon.)