Melissa
Kaplan's
Herp Care Collection
Last updated
January 1, 2014
Beastly Garden of Wordy Delights
Words have always fascinated me. An avid reader from before the time I could see over the top of the check-out counter at the library, I have always found many words to be a delight to roll off the tongue or to sit there, oddly arrayed, on the page. While I usually did well on spelling tests, I often spent too much time mulling over the sound or appearance of words, so I was not always the fastest of test-takers..
Compiled by Melissa Kaplan
Note: Part 1 and 2 are bundled into a single PDF file if you would prefer to save to read or print offline.
Part 1:
Plurals, Collective
Nouns, Sounds, Gender and Offspring
Part 2:
Adjectives
Herp Riddles and Jokes
Plurals, Collective Nouns, Sounds, Gender and Offspring
| Animal |
Plural |
Collective Noun | Sound |
Female/Male |
Offspring |
| alligator |
+s |
congregation |
peep | . |
hatchling |
| alpaca | .. | .. | . | cria | |
| antelope |
herd |
. | doe/buck |
calf | |
| ant |
+s |
army, colony, swarm |
. | queen/flying [1] | antling |
| ape |
+s |
shrewness |
gibber | .. |
infant |
| ass |
+es |
herd, pace |
bray | jennet(jenny)/jack |
. |
| baboon |
+s |
rumpus |
. | . |
infant |
| bacterium |
bacteria |
culture |
. | . |
. |
| badger |
+s |
cete |
. | sow/boar |
kit, cub |
| bass |
shoal |
. | . |
. | |
| bat |
+s |
cloud |
ping | . |
pup |
| bear |
+s |
sleuth, sloth |
growl | sow/bear |
cub |
| beaver |
+s |
colony, lodge |
. | . |
kit, kitten |
| bee |
+s |
hive, grist, swarm |
buzz, hum, murmur | . |
larva |
| beetle |
+s |
. |
. | . |
grub |
| bird |
+s |
congregation, flock, dissimulation, volary | sing, twitter | . |
chick, hatchling |
| bittern |
+s |
sedge, sledge |
boom | . |
. |
| blackbird |
+s |
. |
whistle | . |
. |
| boar |
+s |
pack, singular, sounder |
. | sow/boar |
piglet, boarlet |
| buck |
+s |
brace, clash |
. | . |
. |
| buffalo |
herd |
. | cow/bull |
. | |
| bull |
+s |
. |
bellow | . |
. |
| butterfly |
-ies |
flutter |
. | . |
caterpillar |
| buzzard |
+s |
wake |
. | . |
chick |
| calf |
calves |
. |
bawl, bleat | . |
. |
| camel |
+s |
flock |
groan, grunt | . |
calf |
| cat | +s | clowder, clutter | caterwal, mew, meow, purr, swear | queen/tom(cat) | catling, kit, kitten, puss, pussy |
| caterpillar |
+s |
army |
. | . |
. |
| cattle |
drove, herd |
bawl, low, moo | cow/bull [2] | calves | |
| chicken |
+s |
brood, peep |
cackle, peep | hen/rooster [3] | chick |
| chick |
+s |
chattering, clutch |
peep | . |
. |
| chimpanzee |
+s |
cartload |
hoot, scream | . |
infant |
| clam |
+s |
bed |
. | . |
larva |
| cobra |
+s |
quiver |
. | . |
. |
| cock(erel) |
+s |
. |
crow | . |
. |
| cockroach |
+es |
intrusion |
. | . |
larva |
| codfish. | . | . | . | codling, sprat | |
| colt |
+s |
rag |
. | . |
. |
| common murre | +s | raft | |||
| coot |
+s |
cover |
. | . |
hatchling |
| cormorant |
+s |
gulp | |||
| cow |
+s |
kine, herd |
bawl, low, moo | . |
calf (calves) |
| coyote |
+s |
band, pack, shift, wilieness |
. | . |
pup |
| crane |
+s |
herd, sedge, sledge |
. | . |
hatchling, chick, colt |
| crocodile |
+s |
bask, congregation, float | . |
. | |
| crow |
+s |
cawcus, hoard, murder (gathering); cawroboree (in flight) | caw | . |
chick, hatchling |
| cub |
+s |
litter |
. | . |
. |
| cuckoo |
+s |
. |
cuckoo | . |
. |
| curlew |
+s |
herd |
. | . |
. |
| cur |
+s |
cowardice |
. | . |
. |
| deer |
herd |
bell | doe/buck |
fawn, yearling | |
| dog |
+s |
pack |
bark, basy, howl, snarl, woof, yelp | bitch/dog |
pup, puppy, whelp |
| dolphin |
+s |
pod |
click | . |
. |
| donkey |
+ies |
drove, herd |
. | . |
foal |
| dove |
+s |
dule |
coo, moan | . |
squab |
| duck |
+s |
flock (in air), paddling (on water), team | quack | duck/drake |
duckling |
| eagle |
+s |
convocation |
scream | . |
eaglet, eyas |
| eel |
swarm |
. | . |
elver | |
| egg |
+s |
clutch |
. | . |
. |
| elephant |
+s |
herd, parade |
trumpet | cow/bull |
calf |
| elephant seal | +s |
pod |
. | . |
yearling=weaner |
| elk |
. |
gang |
. | . |
calf |
| emu |
+s |
mob |
. | . |
chick, hatchling |
| falcon |
+s |
. |
chant | . |
. |
| ferret |
+s |
business, fesnyng |
. | . |
kit |
| finch |
+es |
charm |
. | . |
chick, hatchling |
| fish |
fish |
catch, drought, haul, run, school, shoal | . | . |
fry, fingerling |
| flamingo |
+s |
stand |
. | . |
chick |
| fly |
flies |
business, swarm |
buzz | . |
maggot |
| fox |
+s |
leash, skulk |
bark, yelp | vixen/dog |
cub, kit, pup |
| frog |
+s |
army |
croak | . |
polliwog, tadpole |
| giraffe |
+s |
corps, herd, totter, tower |
bleat, grunt | . |
calf |
| gnat |
+s |
cloud, horde |
.. | . |
. |
| goat |
+s |
flock, tribe, trip |
.. | nanny/billy goat | kid |
| goldfinch |
+s |
charm |
.. | . |
chick |
| goose |
geese |
gaggle on water/land; skein when in flight | cackle, hiss, honk | goose/gander |
cheeper, gosling, grouse |
| gorilla |
+s |
band |
.. | female/silverback [4] | infant |
| grasshopper |
+s |
. |
chirp, pitter | . |
pup |
| greyhound |
+s |
leash |
roo | . |
.. |
| grouse |
drumming |
drum | . |
cheeper, chick | |
| guanaco | +s | . | . | . | cria |
| guinea fowl | . |
.. |
cry | . |
.keet. |
| guinea pig | +s | . | squeak, whistle | . | . |
| hag moth | . | . | . | . | monkey slug |
| hare |
+s |
down, husk |
squeak | doe/buck |
. |
| hawk |
+s |
cast, kettle |
scream | . |
fledgling, eyas |
| hedgehog |
+s |
array |
. | . |
piglet |
| hen |
+s |
brood |
. | . |
.pullet |
| heron |
+s |
siege, sedge |
. | . |
. |
| herring |
+s |
shoal |
. | . |
. |
| hippo |
+s |
bloat |
bray, snort | . |
calf |
| hog |
+s |
drift, parcel, passel |
. | . |
. |
| hornet |
+s |
nest |
. | . |
larva |
| horse |
+s |
harras, herd, ramuda, string |
neigh, whinny | mare/stallion [5] | foal,
pony |
| hound |
+s |
cry, mute, pack |
. | . |
pup |
| hummingbird |
+s |
charm |
click, whir | . |
chick |
| hyena |
+s |
cackle |
laugh | . |
. |
| insect |
+s |
swarm |
. | . |
larva, nymph |
| jackrabbit |
+s |
husk |
. | . |
. |
| jay |
+s |
. |
chatter | . |
. |
| jellyfish |
smack |
. | . |
ephyra | |
| kangaroo |
+s |
mob, troop |
. | flyer/boomer |
joey |
| kitten |
+s |
kindle, litter |
mew | . |
. |
| lapwing |
+s |
deceit |
. | . |
. |
| lark |
+s |
ascension, exaltation |
. | . |
chick |
| leopard |
+s |
leap, leep |
. | . |
cub |
| linnet |
+s |
. |
chuckle | . |
. |
| lion |
+s |
pride |
roar, growl | lioness/lion |
cub |
| llama | +s | . | . | . | cria |
| locust |
+s |
plague |
. | . |
larva |
| louse |
lice |
colony |
. | . |
nit [6] |
| loon |
+s |
. |
howl | . |
. |
| mackerel | . | . | .. | blinker, tinker, spike | |
| magpie |
+s |
tiding |
chatter | . |
. |
| mallard |
+s |
sord |
. | . |
duckling |
| man |
men |
band |
. | . |
infant, toddler, child |
| mare |
+s |
stud |
. | . |
. |
| marten |
+s |
richness |
. | . |
. |
| mole |
+s |
labor |
. | . |
pup |
| monkey |
+s |
troup |
chatter, gibber | . |
infant |
| moose |
herd |
bellow | . |
calf | |
| mosquito |
+es |
swarm |
. | . |
nymph |
| mouse |
mice |
hoard, miscief |
squeak, squeal | . |
pinky |
| mule |
+s |
barren, span |
. | . |
foal |
| nightingale |
+s |
watch |
pipe, jug-lug, warble | . |
chick |
| owl |
+s |
parliament |
hoot, screech, wail | . |
owlet |
| ox |
oxen |
drove, herd, team, yoke |
bellow, low | . |
. |
| oyster |
=s |
bed |
. | . |
spat |
| parrot |
+s |
company, flock |
talk | . |
chick |
| partridge |
+s |
covey |
. | . |
cheeper, chick |
| peacock | +s |
muster, ostentation |
scream | hen/peacock |
chick |
| peep |
+s |
litter |
. | . |
blob |
| peewit |
+s |
. |
cry | . |
. |
| pelican | +s | raft (on water?), squadron (in flight?) | |||
| penguin |
+s |
rookery |
bleat | . |
chick |
| pheasant |
+s |
bouquet, nide, nye |
. | . |
chick |
| pig |
+s |
litter |
grunt, squeak, squeal | sow/boar |
farrow, piglet, shoat, suckling |
| pigeon | +s | flight, flock | coo | hen/cock | squab, squeaker |
| pilchard |
+s |
shoal |
. | . |
. |
| plover |
+s |
congregation, wing |
. | . |
. |
| polar bear | +s |
pack |
. | . |
cub |
| pony |
-ies |
string |
. | . |
. |
| porcupine |
+s |
prickle |
. | . |
cub |
| porpoise |
+s |
herd, pod |
. | . |
. |
| prairie dog |
+s |
coterie |
. | . |
pup |
| quail |
bevy, covey |
. | hen/cock |
cheeper, chick | |
| rabbit |
+s |
nest, warren |
. | doe/buck |
bunny |
| raccoon |
+s |
nursery |
. | . |
cub |
| rat |
+s |
hoard, mischief, pack, swarm |
. | . |
pinky, pup |
| rattlesnake |
+s |
rhumba |
. | . |
. |
| raven |
+s |
unkindness |
croak | . |
. |
| regal moth | . | . | . | . | hickory horned devil |
| rhino |
+s |
crash |
grunt, growl, snort, whistle | . |
calf |
| roebuck |
+s |
bevy |
. | . |
. |
| rook |
+s |
building, clamor |
caw | . |
. |
| rooster | .. | .. | . | . | cockerel |
| salmon | .. | . | . | grilse, parr, smolt | |
| sandpiper |
+s |
. |
pipe, whistle | . |
chick |
| sea gull | =s |
colony |
squawk | . |
chick |
| seal |
+s |
colony, herd, pod |
. | cow/bull |
pup |
| shark |
+s |
school, shiver |
. | . |
cub, pup |
| shearwater |
+s |
. |
shrill | . |
. |
| sheep |
flock |
baa, bleat | ewe/ram |
cosset, hog, lamb, lambkins | |
| skunk |
+s |
surfeit |
. | . |
kit |
| snake |
+s |
bed, nest, pit, rave |
hiss | . |
snakelet, neonate/hatchling |
| snipe |
walk, wisp |
. | . |
. | |
| sparrow |
+s |
flight, host |
chirp | . |
chick |
| spider |
+s |
clutter, cluster |
. | . |
spiderlings |
| squirrel |
+s |
dray, scurry |
. | . |
pup |
| stag |
+s |
. |
bellow, bellow, roar [7] | . |
. |
| starling |
+s |
murmuration |
. | . |
. |
| stork |
+s |
mustering |
. | . |
chick |
| swallow |
+s |
flight |
titter | . |
chick |
| swallowtail butterfly | . | . | . | .. | orange dog |
| swan |
+s |
bevy, herd, lamentation, team, wedge | bark, cry, grunt, hiss | pen/cob |
cygnet |
| swift |
+s |
flock |
.. | . |
.. |
| swine |
drift, sounder |
.. | . |
piglet | |
| teal |
spring |
. | . |
. | |
| thrush |
+es |
mutation |
whistle | . |
. |
| tiger |
+s |
ambush, streak |
growl, roar | tigress/tiger |
cub, whelp |
| toad |
+s |
knot |
. | . |
tadpole, polliwog |
| tortoise |
+s |
. |
grunt | . |
. |
| trout |
hover |
. | . |
fry, fingerling | |
| turkey |
+s |
flock, gang, raft, rafter |
gobble | hen/tom |
poult |
| turtledove |
+s |
dule, pitying |
. | . |
chick |
| turtle |
+s |
bale |
. | . |
hatchling |
| vicuna | . | . | . | cria | |
| walrus |
pod |
. | cow/bull |
. | |
| whale |
+s |
gam, school, pod |
. | . |
.calf |
| viper |
+s |
generation, nest |
. | . |
snakelet, neonate |
| wolf |
wolves |
herd, nest, route |
howl | . |
pup, whelp |
| woodcock |
+s |
fall |
. | . |
. |
| woodpecker |
+s |
descent |
. | . |
. |
| zebra | +s | dazzle | . | . | foal |
1. Only males have
wings. All worker ants are sterile.
2. Neutered male: steer
3. Neutered
male: capon
4 .The mature males, whose furred backs have swathes of silvery
white fur.
5. Neutered male: stallion/gelding
6. Nit is the name for both
the egg and larval stages.
7.
In New Zealand, they call stag mating season "the roaring season" due
to the all their noise. (From A. Turner)
In
general, about young:
Young of carnivorous mammals: whelp
Generally,
for most types: younglet, youngling, offspring
Young birds: fledgling, nestling
Young domestic fowl: chick, chicken
Young wild fowl: flapper
More
Beastly Sites
USGS
Northern Prairie Center
Paul Vigay's
Collective Nouns
Birding
@ About.com
Whilst Watching
a Dissimulation of Birds (poem)
OjoHeaven
Fun With Words: Collective
Nouns
Hoardworks.com's
Word Games
To
Part 2:
Adjectives
Herp Riddles and Jokes
Resource created September 1996
Thanks to Jocelyn (LDRS AAC NonfBkJ at AOL's Academic Assistance Center) for the idea of doing female-male nouns
