Collective nouns make English more vivid by allowing us to describe groups as single units. Instead of saying “a group of dancers,” we say “a troupe of dancers.” These terms are used for people, animals, objects, and even ideas—and some of them are surprisingly creative.
This guide brings together a wide range of collective nouns, organized by category and letter group. Whether you’re a learner building vocabulary or a writer looking for fresh expression, this list will help you explore how English names the world in groups.
Collective Nouns for People
These nouns refer to groups of individuals, often based on profession, role, or shared activity. Some are formal, while others are more poetic or traditional.
Common Collective Nouns for People
- A team of players – athletes or game participants acting together
- A class of students – learners grouped for instruction
- A choir of singers – vocalists performing together
- A crew of workers – people working on a task, often manual or technical
- A panel of judges – a group evaluating performances or legal matters
- A board of directors – decision-makers in an organization
- A family of relatives – related individuals forming a household unit
- A committee of experts – a selected group assigned to a task
- A staff of employees – personnel working in a business or organization
- An army of soldiers – military personnel organized for service
- A crowd of spectators – people gathered to watch an event
- A gang of workers – often informal, used for labor or field crews
Unusual or Creative Collective Nouns for People
- A bevy of beauties – a group of attractive or elegant women
- A galaxy of stars – metaphor for a group of celebrities
- A gang of thieves – individuals involved in crime together
- A host of angels – biblical or poetic term for many angels
- A mob of protesters – large, emotional group expressing dissent
- A troupe of dancers – performers traveling or performing together
- A troop of scouts – young people in an organized scouting group
- A congregation of worshippers – people gathered for religious service
Collective Nouns for Objects and Things
These collective nouns refer to groups of items, tools, or inanimate things. They’re common in everyday English and often describe how items are grouped, stored, or used.
Common Collective Nouns for Objects
- A bunch of keys – a group of keys held together on a ring
- A bouquet of flowers – a gathered or arranged collection of flowers
- A stack of books – books piled neatly, usually one on top of another
- A set of tools – a group of tools used for related tasks
- A fleet of ships – a number of ships operating together
- A pile of clothes – clothes stacked or heaped together
- A chest of drawers – multiple drawers housed in a single piece of furniture
- A row of chairs – chairs placed side by side in a line
- A group of islands – a collection of islands in proximity (also called an archipelago)
- A string of beads – beads connected along a single thread
Less Common or Specific Collective Nouns
- A clutch of eggs – eggs laid together in one nesting period
- A sheaf of papers – a bundle of paper documents
- A crate of bottles – bottles stored and transported in a crate
- A bowl of fruit – various fruits arranged in a bowl
- A library of books – a large organized collection of books
Collective Nouns for Abstract Concepts
Some collective nouns are used to group intangible things like emotions, ideas, experiences, or actions. These are especially common in academic, creative, or formal writing.
Examples of Collective Nouns for Abstract Concepts
- A series of events – multiple related happenings in sequence
- A range of emotions – a variety of different feelings
- A string of lies – several untruths told consecutively
- A burst of laughter – a sudden and strong display of laughter
- A fit of anger – a short, intense display of anger
- A wave of fear – fear experienced collectively or suddenly
- A flow of ideas – continuous creative or intellectual thought
- A wealth of knowledge – a large amount of knowledge or understanding
- A sense of purpose – a feeling of direction or motivation shared by a group
- A flood of memories – many memories returning at once
- A cloud of suspicion – uncertainty or mistrust surrounding a person or situation
- A barrage of questions – many questions asked rapidly and all at once
A–Z List of Collective Nouns
A–C: Collective Nouns A–Z
- An army of ants – a large, organized group of ants
- An array of options – a broad set of choices
- A band of musicians – musicians performing together
- A batch of cookies – a group of cookies baked at one time
- A bevy of quail – a small group of quail; also used for women (figuratively)
- A board of directors – people who manage or oversee an organization
- A bouquet of flowers – a carefully arranged bunch of flowers
- A brood of chicks – baby birds hatched together
- A bunch of grapes – grapes hanging together from the same stem
- A bundle of nerves – a very anxious or tense person
- A caravan of camels – camels traveling in a line, often in deserts
- A choir of singers – singers performing in harmony
- A class of students – students taught as a group
- A cluster of stars – stars grouped closely in space
- A clutch of eggs – eggs laid at one time by a bird or reptile
- A crew of sailors – a group working on a ship
- A crowd of people – a large group gathered in one place
- A colony of bees – bees living together in a hive
D–F: Collective Nouns A–Z
- A drove of cattle – cattle being moved together
- A dynasty of rulers – a succession of leaders from the same family
- A deck of cards – a full set of playing cards
- A delegation of diplomats – officials sent to represent a country
- A den of thieves – a secretive or criminal group
- A dynasty of kings – a line of monarchs from the same bloodline
- An ensemble of performers – a group performing together in harmony
- An entourage of celebrities – a group accompanying a public figure
- A fleet of ships – multiple vessels traveling together
- A flock of birds – birds flying or feeding together
- A flurry of activity – a sudden burst of action or movement
- A flurry of emails – many emails sent or received quickly
- A forest of trees – a large, dense area of trees
- A fountain of knowledge – someone or something offering endless information
- A flight of stairs – connected steps between two levels
- A flash of lightning – a sudden appearance of lightning
- A flurry of snowflakes – fast-falling snow
G–L: Collective Nouns A–Z
- A gaggle of geese – geese gathered on land or water
- A galaxy of stars – a brilliant group of stars; also used for celebrities
- A gang of thieves – people involved in criminal activity
- A gang of workers – informal term for a labor crew
- A group of friends – people socially connected
- A grove of trees – a small group of trees close together
- A horde of tourists – a large, often chaotic group
- A heap of clothes – clothes in a messy pile
- A host of angels – a poetic or biblical reference
- A herd of elephants – elephants traveling together
- A hive of bees – a structured colony of bees
- A jumble of thoughts – confused or disorganized ideas
- A jury of peers – a legal group evaluating evidence
- A litter of puppies – young animals born to the same mother
- A line of cars – cars positioned in a row
- A library of books – an extensive book collection
- A league of nations – countries united by agreement
- A list of names – items recorded in order
- A lump of sugar – a cube or block of sugar
M–R: Collective Nouns A–Z
- A mob of protesters – a large, emotional or disorganized group
- A murder of crows – a dramatic term for a group of crows
- A medley of tunes – a mixture of musical selections
- A multitude of voices – many people speaking or shouting
- A nest of snakes – snakes gathered or coiled in one place
- A network of computers – interconnected digital systems
- An orchestra of musicians – instrumentalists playing together
- An outfit of soldiers – a small, organized military group
- A pack of wolves – wolves hunting or traveling together
- A panel of experts – professionals gathered for discussion
- A parade of floats – decorative vehicles moving in procession
- A pile of books – books stacked one over another
- A posse of sheriffs – a group organized for law enforcement
- A pride of lions – lions grouped together, usually a family
- A queue of people – a line of people waiting
- A quiver of arrows – arrows held in a container
- A range of mountains – connected mountain peaks
- A regiment of soldiers – a military unit
- A ring of keys – keys held together on a ring
- A row of chairs – chairs placed in a straight line
S–Z: Collective Nouns A–Z
- A school of fish – fish swimming together in coordination
- A series of events – multiple happenings connected in sequence
- A set of tools – related tools grouped for a specific purpose
- A shelf of books – books lined on a bookshelf
- A shoal of mackerel – a large group of fish (alternative to “school”)
- A shower of rain – a brief period of rainfall
- A stack of documents – papers piled neatly
- A string of pearls – pearls strung together
- A swarm of bees – bees moving or attacking in large numbers
- A team of scientists – researchers working collaboratively
- A throng of people – a dense, possibly chaotic crowd
- A troupe of actors – performers traveling or acting together
- A tuft of grass – a small clump or cluster
- A variety of opinions – differing viewpoints
- A volume of poetry – a bound collection of poems
- A wad of cash – paper money grouped together
- A wealth of information – a large amount of knowledge
- A wing of a building – a section or division of a structure
- A wreath of smoke – a curling ring of smoke
- A yoke of oxen – two oxen working side by side
- A zoo of animals – a curated collection of animals in captivity
Fun and Unusual Collective Nouns
Some collective nouns stand out because they’re poetic, humorous, or unexpectedly vivid. These terms are often rooted in tradition or literature and may not be used in everyday speech—but they’re memorable and delightful to learn.
A murder of crows – dark and dramatic, rooted in folklore
A parliament of owls – suggests wisdom and solemnity
A bloat of hippos – humorously descriptive of their appearance
A shiver of sharks – evokes a chilling image
A flamboyance of flamingos – matches their colorful elegance
A confusion of weasels – playful and fittingly chaotic
A prickle of porcupines – based on their sharp quills
An unkindness of ravens – moody and poetic
A dazzle of zebras – refers to their striking striped look
A smack of jellyfish – slightly silly, but widely accepted
A leap of leopards – alliterative and energetic
A charm of finches – gentle and melodic
A zeal of zebras – another creative term for a zebra group
A kettle of hawks – used when hawks circle in flight
A scurry of squirrels – quick and lively, just like them
Example Sentences Using Collective Nouns
These example sentences show how collective nouns work in everyday English. Each sentence uses one collective noun in context to make the meaning clear and memorable.
- The choir sang in perfect harmony at the concert hall.
- We waited behind a long queue of cars at the toll booth.
- A murder of crows circled above the barren field.
- She handed me a beautiful bouquet of roses on my birthday.
- The fleet of fishing boats returned to the harbor before sunset.
- A panel of judges selected the winning painting.
- They watched a herd of elephants cross the river.
- A batch of cookies was cooling on the kitchen counter.
- He stumbled upon a nest of snakes while hiking.
- The actor was followed by an entourage of assistants and photographers.
- A troop of scouts set up tents near the lake.
- The library houses a vast collection of historical texts.
- A string of bad decisions led to the project’s failure.
- A bloat of hippos lounged in the muddy river.
- The jury has reached a unanimous verdict.