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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
Joe Buscaglia, The Athletic, 21 Feb. 2025
But a rocky pilot notwithstanding, season 1 introduced a bounty of long-running jokes that would continue to be developed over the course of the show — see: The Rural Juror — plus a bevy of phenomenal guest stars.
—EW.com, 19 Feb. 2025
The Wolves have a top-tier lead guard in Antonio Kellogg and a bevy of size and athleticism.
—Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News, 17 Feb. 2025
The Anniversary Special featured a bevy of musical guests.
—Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 16 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bevy
Cite this Entry
“Bevy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bevy. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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