Word of the Day

: September 8, 2016

bevy

noun BEV-ee

What It Means

1 : a large group or collection

2 : a group of animals and especially quail

bevy in Context

"… Prince William admits his son George is 'far too spoiled' after getting a bevy of gifts for his 3rd birthday." — The Daily News (New York), 25 July 2016

"Many cereals contain whole grains and a bevy of nutritious ingredients, but many are also high in sugar and other refined grains that aren’t nutritionally sound." — The Laramie (Wyoming) Boomerang, 21 July 2016

Did You Know?

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.