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What makes up a bevy?
There’s no need to quail when confronted with a word of uncertain origins; some mysteries are simply destined to remain as such. Etymologists have a bevy of theories about the roots of bevy, for example, but little definitive evidence—and that’s okay! What we do know is that bevy emerged out of Middle English as the collective noun for a number of birds and mammals that were commonly hunted, including pheasants, partridges, roe deer, larks, and especially quail. Bevy is still used in this way today, not only for wild game but for gulls, hens, etc. But bevies are now most often composed of a great many people and things, as in “a bevy of reporters” or “a bevy of menu options.”
Examples of bevy in a Sentence
Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 16 Mar. 2026
In New York, state legislative leaders are backing a bevy of new taxes on business and high earners.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026
Celebrities are streaming into Los Angeles ahead of Sunday’s Oscars, with a bevy of events this week taking advantage of the concentration of stars.
—ABC News, 12 Mar. 2026
The cropped tweed top and matching pants were both embroidered with a bevy of black sequins.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bevy
Cite this Entry
“Bevy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bevy. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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