List of animal names

"Young animal" redirects here. For other uses, see Young Animal. For names applied to people, see Animal epithet. "Parliament of owls" redirects here. For the fictional group, see Parliament of Owls.

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Mother sea otter with sleeping pup, Morro Bay, California

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]

Contents

* Generic terms
* Terms by species or taxon

* A
* B
* C
* D
* E
* F
* G
* H
* I
* J
* K
* L
* M
* N
* O
* P
* Q
* R
* S
* T
* U
* V
* W
* X
* Y
* Z

* Usage of collective nouns
* Notes
* Further reading
* External links

## Generic terms

[edit]

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 | 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

[edit]

Animal | Young | Female | Male | Collective noun | Collateral adjective | Culinary noun for meat

|
|
|
|
|
|

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 |

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 | — | — | 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

Camel | calf | cow | bull | caravan[13]
flock[13]
herd
train[13] | camelid
cameline |
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

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 |
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 |
Crocodile | hatchling | cow | bull | bask[13]
congregation
float[13]
menace | crocodilian |
Crow | — | — | — | murder[2][13] | corvine |
Curlew | — | — | — | herd[2][19] | — |

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] | — |

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] | — |

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 |

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 |

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 |

Ibex | kid | nanny | billy | herd[69] | caprine |
Ibis | chick | — | — | colony | ciconiiforme |
Iguana | hatchling | cow | bull | — | — |
Impala | calf | ewe | ram | herd | — |

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) |  |  |  |  |  |

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 |

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 |

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 |

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 |

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 |

See Cattle |  |  |  |  |  |
Owl | fledgling
owlet | — | — | parliament[13] | strigine |
Oyster | spat | — | — | bed[13] | ostracine |

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] | — |

Quail | chick | hen | cock | bevy[74][75][42][43][44] | galliformine |

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] | — |

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 |

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 |

Viper | hatchling | — | — | — | viperine |

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] | — |

Zebra | colt (male)
filly (female)
foal | mare | stallion | cohort[117]
dazzle[118]
herd[13][117]
zeal[13][117] | hippotigrine
zebrine |

## Usage of collective nouns

[edit]

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

[edit]

* Animal epithet
* Lists of animals
* List of animal sounds
* wikt:Appendix:Animals, a similar list on English Wiktionary

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ The term flange was originally used to denote a group of baboons in a Not the Nine O'Clock News comedy sketch entitled "Gerald the Intelligent Gorilla" where it was used for comic effect. It has since been used in the scientific literature for a collection of baboons.
2. ^ A worker bee is a sexually undeveloped female.
3. ^ Castrated male cattle are steers in the United States or bullocks in the United Kingdom. Oxen are draft animals that are (if male) usually castrated but not necessarily. A young cow that has not given birth is a heifer. See Cattle for more names. Cows is often used informally to refer to cattle in general.
4. ^ Bovine refers to all species of genus Bos.
5. ^ The term aerie is a classic 15th-century term of venery that refers to only two "hawks of the tower" but, in modern usage, does not necessarily have the same numerical constraint.[68] Aerie also refers to hawks and other birds of prey nesting high on a mountain top.[68] Confusingly, hawks of the tower are technically falcons and not hawks.
6. ^ The term cast is a classic 15th-century term of venery that refers to only two "hawks of the tower" but, in modern usage, does not necessarily have the same numerical constraint.[68] Confusingly, hawks of the tower are technically falcons and not hawks.
7. ^ The term flight is a classic 15th-century term of venery that refers to only "hawks of the wrist" to include goshawks and sparrowhawks.[68] Hawks of the wrist are true hawks in the genus Accipiter.
8. ^ The term leash is a classic 15th-century term of venery that refers to only three "hawks of the tower" but, in modern usage, does not necessarily have the same numerical constraint.[68] Confusingly, hawks of the tower are technically falcons and not hawks.
9. ^ The term staff is a classic 15th-century term of venery that refers to only three "hawks of the tower" but, in modern usage, does not necessarily have the same numerical constraint.[68] Confusingly, hawks of the tower are technically falcons and not hawks.

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[edit]

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## Further reading

[edit]

* 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.