Collective Nouns

Collective nouns are names for a collection or a number of people or things. Words like group, herd, and array are collective noun examples. Here, we’ll take a closer look at collective nouns, and provide even more examples, placing them in context so you can gain a greater understanding of how they work.

You might not know it, but you encounter collective nouns in everyday speech. Collective nouns are words for single things that are made up of more than one person, animal, place, thing, or idea. You can’t have a team without individual members; even so, we discuss a team as a single entity.

Our class took a field trip to the natural history museum.

The herd of bison ran across the prairie, leaving a massive dust cloud in its wake.

We waited anxiously for the jury to come to a verdict.

This year’s basketball team includes three players who are over six feet tall.

Napoleon’s army was finally defeated at Waterloo.

The town council has approved plans to create a new park.

He comes from a huge family: he’s the oldest of eleven kids.

The rock group has been on tour for months.

Everyone in the audience applauded loudly when Elvis appeared on stage.