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Dray of squirrels -

It's rare to see a dray of squirrels, the name given to a group of these bushy-tailed rodents. They are for the most part solitary creatures. Incidentally, the term dray also refers to a squirrel mother and her young.

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Parenthesis of cellists -

While groups from two to eight classical musicians are called ensembles, a parenthesis of cellists refers to a quartet and upwards of cello players.

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Clowder of cats -

A group of three or more cats is known as a clowder. The term is sometimes qualified if the group numbers seven felines, when it's called a clutter.

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Smuck of jellyfish -

A smuck of jellyfish describes not just a large group of these gelatinous medusas, but the sound a stranded jellyfish makes when it is trodden on.

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Coterie of orchids -

The collective noun for orchids is a coterie. According to London's Kew Gardens, there are 28,000 species of this exotic flower known to science.

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Coalition of cheetahs -

A coalition of cheetahs typically describes a group of two or more of these supple and speedy big cats. But it's only males that form these special bonds.

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Shock of corn -

A shock of corn refers to a stack or bundle of bound or unbound corn with stalks included piled upright for curing or drying.

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Thought of barons -

A thought of barons is the collective noun given to a group or assembly of highly influential individuals known as barons, either current or historical.

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Parliament of owls -

The ancient Greeks considered the owl to be a very wise bird, which is probably why groups of these usually solitary and nocturnal birds of prey are called parliaments.

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Brace of dogs -

The noun "brace" has several meanings, anything from a type of medical device to a musical symbol used to connect two or more lines of music that are played simultaneously. More commonly, a brace of dogs is used to describe two hunting dogs, or birddogs, species such as the Weimar pointing dog (pictured).

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Nest of rumors -

A nest of rumors correlates with the habit of spreading false gossip, pieces of information that may or may not be true. The collective noun is often uttered in the same breath as a nest of vipers. Put together, a nest of rumors suddenly takes on a far more sinister and dangerous connotation.

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Leap of leopards -

A group of three of more leopards is called a leap. An alternative description is a prowl.

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Midden of shells -

In its broadest definition, a midden is a dunghill or refuse heap. A midden of shells specifically refers to a layer of shells exposed in the sides of dunes, banks, or cliff tops.

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Superfluity of nuns -

A collective noun that first appeared in medieval England, a superfluity of nuns was used to describe the excess of spinsters whose only real option was to enter a nunnery and find salvation in God. The noun has long fallen into obscurity.

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Troop of boys -

A troop of boys is just one way to describe a group of lads. But collective noun options extend to band, gang, pack, and even a rascal of boys, a reference to their perceived mischievous habits.

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Murder of crows -

The collective noun for a group of crows is a murder of crows. The reasoning behind the name has to do with birds' scavenger-like nature, a habit likely associated with the rich pickings provided by the fallen on the battlefields of old.

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Knot of toads -

A group of toads is called a knot, though this kind of gathering only takes place during the breeding season.

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Congregation of people -

Despite the obvious religious connotations, a congregation of people can describe any large gathering of individuals, be it in a classroom, an office environment, or in a social setting such as a music concert.

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Covey of quail -

A covey of quail refers to flocks of this small ground-nesting game bird. Another collective name for quail is bevy.

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Misbelief of painters -

The term misbelief of painters was coined as a collective noun in the Middle Ages to describe the artistic license given to portrait artists so as to enable them to make the finished work more flattering and find beauty in the subject, even if such qualities were sorely lacking.

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Passel of hogs -

A group of wild hogs is known as a parcel or passel of hogs. A group of young pigs, on the other hand, is known as a litter.

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Rafter of turkeys -

The collective noun for a group of turkeys is a rafter. The description refers to three or more of these large game birds.

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Tabernacle of bakers -

A tabernacle of bakers described the strict laws governing the making and distribution of bread. Specifically, no baker was permitted to sell bread from beside their own oven. Instead, they could only trade from a market approved by the king. These stalls were known as tabernacula.

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Skein of geese -

While a gaggle refers to groups of grounded geese, those flying in V formations are collectively called a skein for the resemblance to a length of thread or yarn, loosely coiled and knotted.

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Shrewdness of apes -

A shrewdness of apes describes any group of Old World simians. For example, mountain gorillas. The term a shrewdness of apes was coined in 1486, when the word meant wickedness and came from a sense of playfulness and mischief. This was before scientists realized just how intelligent and astute these animals are!

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Melody of harpists -

While an individual playing the harp is known as a harpist, a group of musicians playing the same instrument was, in the medieval era, collectively known as a melody of harpists.

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Cete of badgers -

A cete is the collective noun that describes a group of badgers. Interestingly, the word cete is dated back as early as 1486, either from a Chaucerian word for city or from the Latin coetus for an assembly.

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Cry of hounds -

The phrase a cry of hounds has its origins in the England of the Middle Ages, when the master of foxhounds would signal the hounds to begin the hunt. Over time, it became the collective noun to describe a gathering of dogs used to pursue the hapless quarry.

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Bale of turtles -

The collective name for a group of turtles is a bale of turtles. The description most likely derives from the shape they take when huddled together in their shells.

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Faith of merchants -

Six hundred years ago, the collective noun known as a faith of merchants was used to identify a group of merchants together. The use of faith was deliberate in that it denoted the level of trustworthiness afforded to the people you were buying from.

Sources: (Collins Dictionary) (Collective Nouns List) (Kew Gardens)

See also: What was the average diet like in medieval Europe?

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