# Where did all the bizarre names for a groups of animals come from?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-all-the-bizarre-names-for-a-groups-of-animals-come-from/447799>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 2, 2008, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-all-the-bizarre-names-for-a-groups-of-animals-come-from/447799 "2008-05-02T19:36:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 2008, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-all-the-bizarre-names-for-a-groups-of-animals-come-from/447799/21 "2008-05-03T01:01:12Z")

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Don’t be discouraged. You’re new at this. Pick up the book, learn more about the game, and try again. I’m sure you’ll get the hang of it and do really well.

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**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 2008, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-all-the-bizarre-names-for-a-groups-of-animals-come-from/447799/22 "2008-05-03T02:00:12Z")

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[QUOTE=commasense]  
Sorry, **jayjay** , but as the self-appointed local expert on terms of venery (I bought my first copy of _An Exaltation of Larks_ back in the 1970s), I’m going to have to rule in favor of **BJMoose**. Very witty term, with a little inside joke for us.

Teem of Dopers it is, I hereby proclaim for all time. Amen.  
[/QUOTE]

**So sayeth the shepherd!!!..**

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**Author:** ![BJMoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@BJMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BJMoose)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 2008, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-all-the-bizarre-names-for-a-groups-of-animals-come-from/447799/23 "2008-05-03T13:40:44Z")

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[QUOTE=garygnu]  
Meeses, actually, but only if hate them to pieces.  
[/QUOTE]

Harumph. Them meeses was mice, not moose. (Whatever happened to Jinx the Cat anyway?)

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**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 2008, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-all-the-bizarre-names-for-a-groups-of-animals-come-from/447799/24 "2008-05-03T22:45:11Z")

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[QUOTE=commasense]

And Lipton and his readers have coined hundreds of modern ones:

A _brace of orthodontists_  
A _set of mathematicians_  
A _corps of anatomists_  
A _sack of linebackers_  
A _pac of video gamesters_  
A _glut of commercials_

[/QUOTE]

You forgot “A wunch of bankers”. 😛

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**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2008, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-all-the-bizarre-names-for-a-groups-of-animals-come-from/447799/25 "2008-05-04T14:51:04Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> A brace of orthodontists  
> A set of mathematicians  
> A corps of anatomists  
> A sack of linebackers  
> A pac of video gamesters  
> A glut of commercials

May I suggest:  
A bribe of politicians

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