Mammals
From prides of lions to pods of whales, discover the traditional and whimsical collective nouns for mammals.
A Gang of Buffalo
A group of buffalo is appropriately known as a gang. What Does “A Gang of Buffalo” Mean? “Gang” gives buffalo a rougher, tighter-knit image than the more familiar “herd,” and it fits a specific slice of buffalo social life: the smaller, often all-male groups known as bachelor herds. Young and older males that aren’t currently … Read more
A Herd of Buffalo
A group of buffalo is appropriately known as a herd. What Does “A Herd of Buffalo” Mean? “Herd” is the standard, most common term for a group of buffalo, and it describes one of the more genuinely impressive examples of coordinated defense in the animal kingdom. African buffalo, in particular, are known for forming tight … Read more
An Obstinacy of Buffalo
A group of buffalo is appropriately known as an obstinacy. What Does “An Obstinacy of Buffalo” Mean? “Obstinacy” is a character reference as much as a collective noun, and buffalo have more than earned it. African buffalo in particular have a reputation, among guides, researchers, and anyone who’s spent time around them, for being unpredictable … Read more
A Cluster of Cats
A group of cats is appropriately known as a cluster. What Does “A Cluster of Cats” Mean? “Cluster” leans into a very specific, very relatable cat behavior: piling together for warmth. Cats are drawn to heat sources with almost magnetic reliability, a sunny windowsill, a radiator, a laundry pile fresh from the dryer, and when … Read more
A Clutter of Cats
A group of cats is appropriately known as a clutter. What Does “A Clutter of Cats” Mean? “Clutter” sits close enough to “cluster” in both sound and meaning that the two are frequently used interchangeably, and some sources even treat “clutter” as simply a playful corruption of “clowder” rather than its own distinct word. Whatever … Read more
A Dout of Cats
A group of cats is appropriately known as a dout. What Does “A Dout of Cats” Mean? “Dout” is one of the more obscure entries in the cat collective-noun family, and we’re not going to pretend otherwise. It shows up in older regional word lists alongside its close cousin “dowt,” but a clear, verifiable origin … Read more
A Dowt of Cats
A group of cats is appropriately known as a dowt. What Does “A Dowt of Cats” Mean? “Dowt” is best understood as a spelling variant of “dout” rather than a wholly separate word, the kind of small regional or dialectal drift that shows up often in old English word lists, where a single term could … Read more
A Glaring of Cats
A group of cats is appropriately known as a glaring. What Does “A Glaring of Cats” Mean? Of all the cat collective nouns, “glaring” is probably the most immediately vivid, and it’s easy to see why. Cats are intense starers by nature, and multiple cats fixing their attention on the same thing, a bird outside … Read more
A Kindle of Cats
A group of cats is appropriately known as a kindle. What Does “A Kindle of Cats” Mean? “Kindle” is the older of two collective nouns on this site that both essentially mean a group of kittens born together, the other being the more familiar “litter.” The word comes from an archaic use of “kindle” as … Read more