Definition of BEVY

What Makes Up a bevy?

What do you call a group of crows? Or swine? Or leopards? Well-educated members of the medieval gentry seem to have been expected to know the answers: a murder of crows, a sounder of swine, and a leap of leopards. They would also have been expected to know that bevy referred specifically to a group of deer, quail, larks, or young ladies. Scholars aren't certain why bevy was chosen for those groups (though they have theories). What is known for sure is that bevy first appeared in the 15th century and was used as a highly specific collective for many years. Today, however, bevies can include anything from football players to toaster ovens.

Examples of bevy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Hosted by Dolce & Gabbana, the event drew in a bevy of beautifuls outfitted in Dolce & Gabbana. — Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, "Dolce & Gabbana and the Boys’ Club of New York Host a Disco Dance Party," 24 Oct. 2018 In a teaser video released on Thusday, behind-the-scenes footage showed a bevy of early 2000s references, including Legally Blonde, Bring It On, Mean Girls, and 13 Going on 30. — Vogue, "Ariana Grande’s “Thank U, Next” Music Video Is Shameless Millennial Pandering and We Couldn’t Be More Grateful for It," 30 Nov. 2018 Joining Leaders Club brings a bevy of benefits, including continental breakfast for two throughout stays, complimentary Wi-Fi, and early check-in, late check-out, and room upgrade priority when available. — Ryan Craggs, Condé Nast Traveler, "Leading Hotels of the World Just Improved Its Loyalty Program," 3 Oct. 2018 Kavanaugh, President Trump’s pick for the Supreme Court, will be questioned about his views on a bevy of legal issues, including executive power, reproductive rights, gun violence and privacy. — Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Fox News, "Kavanaugh confirmation hearing likely to focus on abortion, gun rights and more," 31 Aug. 2018 Apple on Monday announced a bevy of new updates and features for its range of devices, including the iPhone, Apple Watch, Mac and more, as part of WWDC 2018. — Alex Fitzpatrick, Time, "Apple's New Mac Feature Will Be Great If You Use Your Computer at Night a Lot," 4 June 2018 From a bevy of beautiful Impalas of all years, to pristine Bel Airs, 1940s-era trucks and Styleline Deluxe models, to muscle car Chevelles and Camaros, the Chevy mark was easily the most represented. — Heidi Van Horne, Houston Chronicle, "Classic Chevys take center stage in ‘Screenland’ show," 19 May 2018 Too Much Sauce: Design your own bowl from the bevy of ingredients available at this fast-casual restaurant. — Lauren Delgado, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Where to eat during the Orlando Fringe Festival," 16 May 2018 Android users get to chose from a bevy of phones far more diverse than Apple's offering, and enjoy a level of freedom that Apple users can’t even imagine. — Avery Thompson, Popular Mechanics, "One of the iPhone's Best Features Is Coming to Android," 13 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bevy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.