What Does “A Drove of Pigs” Mean?
Like “drove of cattle” and “drove of goats,” “drove of pigs” comes from droving, the traditional practice of moving livestock on foot, sometimes considerable distances, to market or between grazing and foraging grounds. Historically, pigs were often allowed to forage semi-freely in woodlands, a practice called pannage, feeding on fallen acorns and beechnuts, before being driven to market once fattened.
Droving pigs required a different touch than droving cattle or sheep; pigs are notably intelligent and stubborn, and a skilled drover needed real patience and technique to keep a group moving in the right direction rather than scattering to investigate anything interesting along the way. The practice has largely disappeared with modern transportation, but “drove” remains a linguistic reminder of a time when getting livestock to market meant walking them there, often over open country, one careful mile at a time.
Example: “A drove of pigs was herded slowly along the lane toward the market town.”
Other Collective Nouns for Pigs
A group of pigs goes by more than one name. You might also hear:
Related: Collective Nouns for Mammals