In the English language, many animals have different names depending on whether they are male, female, young, domesticated, or in groups.
The best-known source of many English words used for collective groupings of animals is The Book of Saint Albans, an essay on hunting published in 1486 and attributed to Juliana Berners.[1] Most terms used here may be found in common dictionaries and general information web sites.[2][3][4]
Generic terms
The terms in this table apply to many or all taxons in a particular biological family, class, or clade.
| Scientific term | Trivial name | Young | Female | Male | Collective noun | Collateral adjective |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aves | bird | chick | hen | cock, rooster | flock | avian |
| Bovinae | cattle; ox,[5] cow | calf | cow (bred), heifer (not bred) | bull (intact), bullock[6] or steer (castrated) | herd | bovine |
| Canidae | dog | puppy, pup,[7] cub, whelp | bitch | dog | pack | canine |
| Cetacea | whale, dolphin, porpoise | calf | cow | bull | pod | cetacean |
| Equidae | horse | colt (male), filly (female), foal | jenny (asses), mare (other equids) | jack (asses), stallion (other equids), gelding (castrated horse) | herd | equine |
| Felidae | cat | kitten (non-big cats, such as Felis, Lynx, Puma,[8] etc.), cub (big cats, Panthera, and also Puma) | queen | tom, king | clowder (small cats), pride (big cats) | feline |
| Suidae | pig | piglet | sow | boar | drift or drove | porcine |
| Procyonidae | Raccoon family of Carnivorans | cub, kit | sow | boar | gaze, smack, committee | procyonine, nasuine, others |
| Viverridae | Civet family of Carnivorans | cub, kit | sow | boar | gaze, smack, committee | viverrine |
| Mustelidae | Ferret family of Carnivorans (large: badgers & wolverines; small: weasels & ferrets) | kit | sow (large) or jill (small) | boar (large) or hob,[9] jack (small) | colony (large) or business (small) | musteline |
| Leporidae | rabbits & hares | nestling | jill | jack | nest or band | leporine |
| Osteichthyes | bony fish | hatchling, fry, fingerling | — | — | school, shoal | piscine, ichthyic |
Terms by species or taxon
| Animal | Young | Female | Male | Collective noun | Collateral adjective | Culinary noun for meat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | ||||||
| Aardvark | cub | sow | boar | — | orycteropodian | |
| Albatross | chick | — | — | flock[10] gam (when searching for mates)[11] rookery[12] | diomedeid | |
| Alligator | hatchling | cow | bull | congregation[13] | eusuchian | |
| Alpaca[14] | cria | hembra | macho | herd | camelid | |
| Ant | larva pupa | queen (fertile) soldier worker | drone | army[15] bike[15] colony[15][16] nest[13] swarm[15] | formic myrmicine | |
| Anteater | pup | sow | boar | — | vermilinguan | |
| Antelope | calf[17] | doe | buck | cluster[15][18] herd[15][18] tribe[15][18] | alcelaphine antilopine bubaline | |
| Ape | baby child infant | — | — | band family group shrewdness[2][13][18][19] troop, group[13][15][18] | simian | |
| Armadillo | baby pup | sow | boar | protection[2] | cingulatan | |
| Ass/donkey | foal | jenny | jack | coffle[15][18] drove[13][15][18] herd[15] pace[15][16][18] | asinine | |
| B | ||||||
| Baboon | infant | babuina[20] | — | flange[21][a] troop, group[2][13][21] | — | |
| Badger | cub kit | sow | boar | cete[2][13][16][21] colony[21] | musteline | |
| Barracuda | hatchling, fry, fingerling | — | — | school[22] | percesocine | |
| Bat | pup | — | — | camp[23] cloud[21][24] colony[16][21] flock[25] | noctillionine pteropine | |
| Bear (list) | cub[26] | she-bear sow | boar | sleuth[13][16][21] sloth[13][16][21] | ursine | |
| Beaver | kit kitten pup | — | buck | colony[13][21] family[13] | castoridine | |
| Bee | larva pupa | queen worker[b] | drone | cast (a second swarm)[21] cluster (of workers around the queen)[21] colony[21] drift[2][21] erst[2][21] grist[13][21] hive[2][13][21] nest[13] rabble[21] stand[21] swarm[2][13][21] | apian apiarian apic | |
| Beetle | larva grub (wormlike forms)[3][4] mealworm (darkling beetles)[3][4] pupa | — | — | swarm[3] | coleopterous | |
| Binturong | binlet | — | — | — | potosine | |
| Bird (list) Also see Aves | chick | hen | cock | flight[2] flock[2] pod[2] | avian | |
| Boar/wild pig Also see Pig | farrow piglet shoat/shote (just weaned) | sow | boar hog | herd[21][27] singular[13][27] sounder (groups of 12 or more)[13][27] | — | |
| Bobcat | bobkitten | — | — | — | feline | |
| Budgerigar | chick | — | — | flock | psittacine | |
| Buffalo | calf | — | — | — | bubaline | |
| Bull See Cattle | ||||||
| Butterfly | caterpillar chrysalis larva pupa | — | — | flight[21] flutter[13][28] kaleidoscope[29] rabble[21] swarm[30] | rhopaloceran | |
| C | ||||||
| Camel | calf | cow | bull | caravan[13] flock[13] herd train[13] | camelid cameline | |
| Capybara | pup | — | — | — | — | |
| Cat (list) | kit kitten | molly pussy queen | gib (castrated male)[31] king tom | clowder[2][13] cluster[13] clutter[32] glaring[2][13] kindle (kittens)[33] litter (kittens) pillow (kittens) pounce[13] nuisance[34] | feline | |
| Cattle[c] (list) | calf[35] | cow[36] heifer freemartin | bull bullock ox steer | drove[13] gang[13][16][21] herd[13][16][21] obstinancy[13][16][21] team (oxen) troop[13] yoke (oxen) | bovine[d] taurine (male) vaccine (female) vituline (young) | beef veal |
| Chamois | calf | doe | bull | herd | rupicaprine | |
| Cheetah | cub | she-cheetah | cheetah | coalition (male)[37] | feline | |
| Chicken (list) | chick | hen pullet | capon (castrated male) cock cockerel rooster | brood[13] clutch (eggs) flock peep (chicks)[13] | galline | poultry |
| Chimpanzee | infant | empress | emperor blackback | troop, group tribe | panine | |
| Chinchilla | kit | sow velvet | boar bull | colony | chinchilline | |
| Chough | chick | — | — | chattering[2][19][38] clattering[2][19][39] | corvine | |
| Coati | kit pup | sow | boar | troop | nasuine | |
| Cobra | — | — | — | quiver[40] | elapid | |
| Cockroach | nymph | — | — | intrusion[40] | blattid | |
| Cod | codling | — | — | school | gadine gadoid | |
| Cormorant | chick shaglet | — | — | flight gulp[13][16][40] | — | |
| Cow See Cattle | ||||||
| Crab | zoea | hen jenny | cock jimmy | — | cancrine | |
| Crane | chick colt[41] | — | — | herd[42][43][44] sedge[16] sege[45] siege[46] | alectorine | |
| Cricket | nymph | — | — | — | — | |
| Crocodile | hatchling | cow | bull | bask[13] congregation float[13] menace | crocodilian | |
| Crow | — | — | — | murder[2][13] | corvine | |
| Curlew | — | — | — | herd[2][19] | — | |
| D | ||||||
| Deer | calf[17] fawn | doe hind cow | buck bull[17] hart (red deer) stag | bunch[47] herd[47] mob[47] rangale[47] | cervine elaphine | humble (organ meat) venison |
| Dinosaur (list) | calf (Ornithischia and Sauropodomorpha) chick (Theropoda) hatchling juvenile | cow (Ornithischia and Sauropodomorpha) hen (Theropoda) | bull (Ornithischia and Sauropodomorpha) cock (Theropoda) | herd (herbivores) pack (carnivores) | dinosaurian | |
| Dog (list) | pup[7] puppy whelp[48] | bitch | dog sire stud | comedy (boxers)[49][50] cowardice (curs)[16][51] cry (hounds)[52] kennel[47] litter (young)[53] mute[16] pack (wild)[16][47] | canine | |
| Dogfish Also see Shark | — | — | — | troop[47] | selachian squaloid | capeshark (US) flake (UK, Australia) huss (UK) kahada (Canada)[54] rigg (UK) rock salmon (UK) spiny dogfish |
| Dolphin | calf | cow | bull | herd pod[55][56] school[47] team[47] | delphine | |
| Donkey (list) See Ass | ||||||
| Dove | chick | hen | cock | arc[13] cote dole[2][47] dule[13][47] flight[2][13][47] piteousness[2][47] pitying[13] | columbine | |
| Dragonfly | nymph | queen | drake king | cluster flight | anisopteran | |
| Duck (list) Also see Mallard | duckling | duck hen | cock drake | badling (on land)[16] brace (on land)[16] bunch (on water)[2][47] flock (on land) herd (on land) paddling (on water)[2][47] raft (on water)[2][47] safe (on land)[2] skein (in flight)[47] sord (on land)[47] sore (on land)[47] string (in flight)[47] team (in flight)[16][47] waddling (on land)[47] | anatine fuliguline | poultry |
| Dugong | calf | cow | bull | herd | dugongine | |
| Dunlin | chick | — | — | fling[2] | — | |
| E | ||||||
| Eagle | eaglet fledgling | — | — | convocation[13][16] | aquiline | |
| Echidna | puggle (in common use, but not scientifically endorsed) | — | — | — | tachyglossine | |
| Eel | leptocephalus (larva) elver (juvenile) | — | — | bed[13] swarm[13] | anguilline | |
| Elephant | calf[35] | cow[36] | bull[57] | herd memory[13] parade[23] | elephantine proboscidean proboscine | |
| Elephant seal | pup | cow | bull | — | miroungan | |
| Elk/wapiti | calf[17] | cow[17] | bull[17] | gang[13] herd[13] | cervine | venison |
| Emu | chick hatchling | — | — | mob[13] | — | |
| F | ||||||
| Falcon | eyass/eyas | falcon | tercel terzel tiercel | cast[23] | acciptrine | |
| Ferret | kit | jill | hob | business[13][16] busyness[19] | musteline | |
| Finch | chick | hen | cock | charm[16] | fringilline | |
| Fish (list) | fingerling fry | — | — | school[3] | piscine | |
| Flamingo | chick | — | — | flamboyance[58] stand[23] | phoenicopterine | |
| Fly | maggot | — | — | business[13] cloud[13] swarm[13] | dipterous | |
| Fox | cub[26] kit pup[7] | vixen | dog reynard tod | leash[13][16] skulk[13][16] earth[16] | vulpine | |
| Frog | froglet polliwog tadpole | — | — | army[16] | ranine | |
| G | ||||||
| Gazelle | calf[17] | cow[17] | bull[17] | herd | gazelline | |
| Gecko | hatchling | dam (herpetoculture) | sire (herpetoculture) | — | — | |
| Gerbil | pup | doe | buck | horde | gerbilline | |
| Giant panda | cub | sow | boar | embarrassment [59] sleuth[60] | ailuropodine | |
| Giraffe | calf | cow | bull | corps[61] herd tower[61][62] | giraffine | |
| Gnat | larva | — | — | cloud[13][16][61] horde[13][16][61] rabble[61] swarm[13][61] | — | |
| Gnu | calf | cow | bull | herd implausibility[63] | — | |
| Goat (list) | kid | doe doeling nanny | billy buck buckling wether (castrated) | herd flock[61] tribe[61] trip[61] trippe[61] | caprine | cabrito chevon mutton |
| Goldfinch | — | — | — | charm[61] | cardueline | |
| Goosander | — | — | — | dopping[61] | — | |
| Goose | gosling | goose | gander | chevron (in flight)[citation needed] flock (on land) gaggle (on land)[16][61] plump (on land)[61] skein (in flight)[2][16][61] team (in flight)[2][61] wedge (in flight)[2][61] | anatine anserine | poultry |
| Gorilla | infant | — | blackback silverback | band[13][16][61] troop, group[13] whoop[61] | simian | |
| Goshawk | — | — | — | flight[19][61] | — | |
| Grasshopper | nymph | — | — | cloud[61] swarm[61] | caeliferian | |
| Grouse | — | — | — | covey[61] pack[61] | tetraonine | |
| Guanaco | chulengo[64] | — | — | herd | camelid | |
| Guinea fowl | keet | hen | cock | flock[65] rasp[66] | numidine | poultry |
| Guinea pig | pup | sow | boar | herd | — | cuy |
| Gull | chick | hen | cock | colony flock | larine | |
| H | ||||||
| Hamster | pup | doe | buck | horde | cricetid | |
| Hare | leveret | doe jill | buck jack | band down[67] drove[67] flick[67] husk[67] | leporine | |
| Hawk | eyas | hen | tiercel | aerie[68][e] boil (soaring in large groups)[16][68] cast[68][f] cauldron (soaring in large groups)[68] flight[68][g] flock[68] kettle (soaring in large groups)[13][68] leash[68][h] staff[68][i] | accipitrine | |
| Hedgehog | hoglet piglet pup | sow | boar | array[67] | erinaceine | |
| Hermit crab | zoea | — | — | — | paguroid | |
| Heron | chick | hen | cock | flight[67] sedge[13][16][67] sege[45][67] siege[13][16][46][67] | ardeidine | |
| Herring | — | — | — | army[16][67] glean[67] shoal[67] | clupeidean | |
| Hippopotamus | calf | cow | bull | bloat[13][16][67] herd[67] sea[13][16][67] thunder[40] | hippopotamine | |
| Hornet | larva pupa | queen | drone | bike[67] nest[16] swarm | vespine | |
| Horse (list) | colt (male) filly (female) foal weanling yearling | dam mare | gelding (castrated male) ridgling stallion (not castrated) stud | band (wild horses)[13] field (racehorses) harras[16] herd (wild horses)[13] rag (colts)[16] stable[13] string (ponies)[16] stud[16] team (work horses)[13][16] | caballine equine | horseflesh horsemeat |
| Human | baby boy (male) child girl (female) infant | lady (colloquial) woman | gentleman (colloquial) man | band clan crowd family group horde tribe | human simian | “long pig” the flesh that speaks |
| Hummingbird | chick | hen | cock | — | trochilidine trochiline | |
| Hyena | cub | — | — | cackle[13][16] clan | hyenine | |
| I | ||||||
| Ibex | kid | nanny | billy | herd[69] | caprine | |
| Ibis | chick | — | — | colony | ciconiiforme | |
| Iguana | hatchling | cow | bull | — | — | |
| Impala | calf | ewe | ram | herd | — | |
| J | ||||||
| Jaguar | cub | — | — | leap[70] parade[23] prowl[70] | — | |
| Jay | chick | hen | cock | band[13] party[16] scold[16] | corvine | |
| Jellyfish | ephyra[71] planula polyp | — | — | bloom brood[13] fluther[2] smack[2][16] smuth[12] | scyphozoan | |
| Junglefowl (see chicken) | ||||||
| K | ||||||
| Kangaroo | joey | doe flyer jill roo | boomer buck jack | court herd mob[72] troop[16] | macropodine | |
| Kingbird | chick | — | — | court tyranny coronation | — | |
| Kinkajou | kit pup | sow | boar | convergence troop | potosine | |
| Kite | chick | — | — | — | accipitrine | |
| Koala | joey | doe | buck | — | phascolarctine | |
| Komodo dragon | calf chick hatchling | cow hen | bull cock | — | varanine | |
| L | ||||||
| Ladybug | larva | — | — | loveliness | coleopterous | |
| Lapwing | chick | — | — | deceit[16][19] desert[2] | vanelline | |
| Lark | chick | hen | cock | exaltation[2][19] | alaudine | |
| Lemur | infant | — | — | conspiracy[73] | lemurine | |
| Leopard | cub | leopardess | leopard | leap[2][13][16] lepe[2] | pardine | |
| Lion | cub[26] | lioness | lion | pride[74][75][43] sawt[43][76] | leonine | |
| Lizard | hatchling | — | — | — | — | |
| Llama | cria | dam hembra | macho stud | flock herd | camelid | |
| Lobster | — | hen[3] | cock[3] | risk | homarine | |
| Locust (list) | nymph | — | — | cloud host swarm | caelifera | |
| Loris | infant | — | — | colony[77] | lorisine[78] | |
| Louse | nymph | — | — | colony | pediculine | |
| Lyrebird | chick | hen | cock | musket[79] | menurine | |
| M | ||||||
| Mallard Also see Duck | duckling | hen | greenhead[80] | sord[2] suit[2] | anatine | poultry |
| Mammoth (see elephant) | calf | cow | bull | herd pack | mammutine | |
| Manatee | calf | cow | bull | herd | manatine sirenian | |
| Mandrill | infant | — | — | horde | simian | |
| Manta ray | fry | — | — | — | feline[citation needed] | |
| Mantis | nymph | — | — | swarm | caelifera | |
| Meerkat | meerkitten | — | — | — | herpestine | |
| Mink | cub kit | sow | boar | — | musteline | |
| Mole | pup | sow | boar | labor[23] | talpine | |
| Mongoose | pup | — | — | committee delegation troop | herpestine | |
| Monkey | infant | — | — | group, troop[2] | simian | |
| Moose | calf[17] | cow[17] | bull[17][57] | herd | cervine | venison |
| Mosquito | nymph tumbler wriggled | — | — | cloud scourge swarm | aedine anopheline | |
| Moth | caterpillar chrysalis larva pupa | — | — | eclipse[23] swarm[23] | rhopaloceran | |
| Mouse | crawler (as pet feed)[citation needed] fuzzy (as pet feed)[citation needed] hopper (as pet feed)[citation needed] pinky (as pet feed)[citation needed] pup | doe | buck | colony nest | murine | |
| N | ||||||
| Narwhal | calf[81] | cow[81] | bull[81] | pod[81] herd[81] school[81] gam[81] grind[81] | cetacean[82] cetaceous[82] | |
| Newt | eft[83] | — | — | — | pleurodeline | |
| Nightingale | chick | hen | cock | watch[42][43][44] | philomelian | |
| O | ||||||
| Octopus | fry [citation needed] | hen[84] | — | consortium[85] | octopodine | |
| Okapi | calf | cow | bull | herd | okapine | |
| Opossum | joey | jill | jack | passel[86] | didelphine | |
| Ostrich | chick hatchling | hen | cock | flock troop | ratite struthious | |
| Otter | pup whelp | sow | boar | family[23] romp | lutrine musteline | |
| Ox See Cattle | ||||||
| Owl | fledgling owlet | — | — | parliament[13] | strigine | |
| Oyster | spat | — | — | bed[13] | ostracine | |
| P | ||||||
| Panther | cub | pantheress | panther | — | pantherine | |
| Parrot | chick | hen | cock | flock | psittacine | |
| Panda See Giant panda | ||||||
| Partridge | chick | chantelle hen | cock | covey roost | perdicine | |
| Peafowl | chick peachick | peahen | peacock | ostentation | pavonine | poultry |
| Peccary | — | — | — | squadron[87] | — | |
| Pelican | chick nestling | — | — | pod[13] scoop | pelecanine | |
| Penguin | chick nestling | — | — | colony[88] huddle[88] raft (in water)[88] rookery[88] tuxedo[12] waddle (on land)[88][89] | spheniscine | |
| Pheasant | chick | hen | cock | bouquet[13][16] flock nest[16] nide[16] nye[13][16] | phasianine | |
| Pig (list) Also see Boar | farrow piglet shoat/shote (just weaned) | gilt (not bred)[90] sow (bred) | barrow (castrated)[91][92] boar hog | drift[13][16][93] drove[13][16] litter (piglets) sounder (older pigs)[23] team (older pigs)[23] | porcine suilline | bacon ham pork |
| Pigeon (list) | squab squeaker | hen | cock | flight[94] flock kit[94] | pullastrine | squab |
| Platypus | — | — | — | paddle[95] | — | |
| Polar bear | cub | sow | boar | aurora[96] celebration[96] pack[96] | ursine | |
| Pony See Horse | ||||||
| Porcupine | pup, porcupette[97] | sow | boar | prickle[94] | hystricine, erethizontine[98] | |
| Porpoise | calf | cow | bull | pod school shoal | phocoenine | |
| Prairie dog | pup | sow | boar | town | cynomurine | |
| Pug | pup | bitch | dog sire stud | grumble[99] | — | |
| Q | ||||||
| Quail | chick | hen | cock | bevy[74][75][42][43][44] | galliformine | |
| R | ||||||
| Rabbit (list) | bunny kit kitten nestling | doe jill | buck jack yoyo | litter (young) nest[75] warren wrack (young) | leporine | |
| Raccoon | cub kit | sow | boar | brace committee gaze[74] nursery smack troop | procyonine | |
| Ram Also see Sheep | lamb | ewe | ram | flock | arietine ovine | lamb mutton |
| Rat (list) | kitten[citation needed] pup | doe | buck | colony horde mischief[100][101] | murine | |
| Raven | chick | hen | cock | conspiracy unkindness[42][43][102] | corvid corvine | |
| Red deer | calf | hind | hart stag | herd | — | venison |
| Red panda | cub | sow | boar | pack | ailurid | |
| Rhinoceros | calf | cow | bull | crash[103] herd | ceratorhine | |
| Rook | — | — | — | building[2] parliament[2][104] | — | |
| S | ||||||
| Salamander | larva | — | — | maelstrom | caudatan salamandrine | |
| Salmon | parr[105] | hen jen | cock jack | — | salmonine | |
| Sand dollar | juvenile (young urchin) larva pluteus (free-swimming stage) | — | — | — | clypeasteroid | |
| Sandpiper | — | — | — | fling[106] | scolopacine | |
| Sardine | — | — | — | family [106] | — | |
| Sea lion | pup | cow | bull | — | otarine | |
| Seahorse | seafoal | seamare | seastallion | shoal | hippocampal | |
| Seal | pup[7] | cow | bull | herd[106] pod[106] rookery[106] | phoca | |
| Sea otter | pup | — | — | raft | lutrine | |
| Shark | cub[26] pup[107] | — | bull | shiver [59] | selachian squaloid | flake (AUS) |
| Sheep (list) Also see Ram | cosset lamb lambkin | dam ewe | buck ram wether (castrated) | flock[74][75] fold[108] herd | ovine | hogget lamb mutton |
| Shrew | shrewlet | sow | boar | colony drove | soricine | |
| Skink | skinklet | — | — | — | scincine | |
| Skipper | caterpillar | — | — | — | hesperiine | |
| Skunk | kit | sow | boar[3] | surfeit | mephitine | |
| Sloth | baby kitten pup | sow | boar | — | xenarthran (broader group) | |
| Snail | — | — | — | escargatoire[106][109] rout[106][110] walk[106] | gastropodian | escargot |
| Snake (list) | hatchling (newly hatched) neonate (newborn) snakelet | — | — | ball nest[75] slither | anguine elapine ophidian serpentine viperine | |
| Spider (list) | spiderling | — | — | cluster[106] clutter[106] | arachnine arachnoid | |
| Spoonbill | chick | — | — | bowl | ciconiiforme | |
| Squid | paralarva | — | — | shoal | teuthidane | |
| Squirrel | kit kitten pup | doe | buck | scurry[40] | sciurine | |
| Starfish | bipinnaria brachiolaria | — | — | — | asteroid/galaxy[111] | |
| Starling | — | — | — | chattering[13][38] murmuration[2][13][16][19] | sturnine | |
| Stilt | chick | — | — | — | recurvirostrid | |
| Stingray | pup | — | — | fever[112] | squaloid | |
| Swan | cygnet flapper | pen | cob | bevy[23] flock game[23] lamentation wedge (in flight)[23] | cygnine | |
| T | ||||||
| Tapir | calf | cow | bull | herd | tapirine | |
| Tarsier | — | — | — | — | tarsiine | |
| Termite | larva | — | — | colony nest swarm | isopteran | |
| Thrush | chick | — | — | — | turdine | |
| Tiger | cub[26] whelp | tigress | tiger | ambush[13] streak[40] | tigrine | |
| Toad | tadpole toadlet | — | — | knot[13][16] | batrachian ranine | |
| Toucan | chick | — | — | durante | ramphasto | |
| Turkey (list) | poult | hen | gobbler jake (immature) stag tom | rafter[113][114] | — | poultry |
| Turtle | hatchling turtlet | — | — | bale[115] | chelonian | |
| V | ||||||
| Viper | hatchling | — | — | — | viperine | |
| W | ||||||
| Wallaby | joey | jill | jack | mob | — | |
| Walrus | calf | cow | bull | herd[75] pod[75] | odobenine | |
| Wasp | larva | queen worker | drone | colony hive nest swarm | vespine | |
| Weasel | kit pup | bitch doe jill | buck dog hub jack | gang[18] sneak[18] | musteline | |
| Whale | calf[35] | cow[36] | bull | gam[23] pod[74][75] school | cetacean cetaceous | blubber |
| Wildebeest | calf[35] | cow[36] | bull | confusion | — | |
| Wolf | cub pup[7] puppy whelp | bitch she-wolf | dog | pack[74][75] | canine lupine | |
| Wolverine | kit whelp | angeline | wolverine | pack | musteline | |
| Wombat | joey | jill | jack | wisdom[116] | — | |
| Z | ||||||
| Zebra | colt (male) filly (female) foal | mare | stallion | cohort[117] dazzle[118] herd[13][117] zeal[13][117] | hippotigrine zebrine | |
Usage of collective nouns
Merriam-Webster writes that most terms of venery fell out of use in the 16th century, including a "murder" for crows. It goes on to say that some of the terms in The Book of Saint Albans were "rather fanciful", explaining that the book extended collective nouns to people of specific professions, such as a "poverty" of pipers. It concludes that for lexicographers, many of these do not satisfy criteria for entry by being "used consistently in running prose" without meriting explanation. Some terms that were listed as commonly used were "herd", "flock", "school", and "swarm".[119]
Writing for Audubon, Nicholas Lund says that many such terms are not used in actuality. When he interviewed scientists who specialize in studying specific animals, they had not heard of these terms, such as a "bask" of crocodiles or "wisdom" of wombats, being applied in their fields. Lund noted that the common plural nouns for animals were "flock" for birds and "herd" for cows, conceding that for certain animals in small groups, there was currency in usage such as a "pod" of whales or "gaggle" of geese.[120]
See also
- Animal epithet
- Lists of animals
- List of animal sounds
- wikt:Appendix:Animals, a similar list on English Wiktionary
Notes
References
Further reading
- Gray, Peter (1970). The encyclopedia of the biological sciences. Van Nostrand Reinhold Company. ISBN 978-0-442-15629-9.
- Lipton, James (1993) [1968]. An Exaltation of Larks (Ultimate ed.). Penguin. ISBN 978-0-14-017096-2.
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