# Collective Nouns

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/collective-nouns/20058>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [May 20, 2000, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/collective-nouns/20058 "2000-05-20T17:24:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Iguana\_Boy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@Iguana\_Boy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iguana_Boy)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2000, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/collective-nouns/20058/1 "2000-05-20T17:24:33Z")

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I heard in a radio programme today that some school headmaster (that’s principal to you US Dopers) has published a book consisting of the collective nouns of various animals (prides of lions etc).

The programme went on to suggest some collective nouns that should exist, but don’t such as

An excrement of dogs  
A sleaze of politicians  
An adultery of presidents

Anyone got any more suggestions?

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**Author:** ![Crunchy\_Frog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ebca7d/32.png) [@Crunchy\_Frog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crunchy_Frog)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2000, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/collective-nouns/20058/2 "2000-05-20T17:48:34Z")

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How about:

A geek of computer programmers  
A stumble of alcoholics  
A crash of driving instructors  
A chatter of talk show hosts

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**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\
**Post date:** [May 21, 2000, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/collective-nouns/20058/3 "2000-05-21T04:33:14Z")

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I propose a thong of gay men and a hummus of lesbians.

Or how about a stridency of activists?

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**Author:** ![jjjfishe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/46a35a/32.png) [@jjjfishe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjjfishe)\
**Post date:** [May 21, 2000, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/collective-nouns/20058/4 "2000-05-21T06:26:43Z")

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a celery of vegetarians  
a goofball of clowns  
a trout of fishermen  
a shitload of janitors