What Does “A Drove of Goats” Mean?
Like “drove of cattle,” “drove of goats” comes directly from droving, the traditional practice of moving livestock on foot, often long distances, to market or between grazing grounds. Goats have been domesticated and herded by humans for thousands of years, among the earliest livestock species domesticated at all, and droving them was a standard part of agricultural life across many regions for centuries.
Goats’ hardiness and adaptability made them especially well-suited to droving over rough or hilly terrain that might have challenged other livestock, part of why goat herding remains common today in mountainous and marginal grazing regions where other livestock struggle. A drove implies active human direction, goats being deliberately moved as a group toward a specific destination, distinct from a herd simply grazing at its own pace.
Example: “A drove of goats made its way down the mountain trail, driven along by two dogs and a shepherd.”
Related: Collective Nouns for Mammals · What Is a Group of Goats Called?