Word of the Day

: August 13, 2008

bevy

noun BEV-ee

What It Means

1 : a large group or collection

2 : a group of animals and especially quail

bevy in Context

The band's latest album offers up a bevy of new songs, as well as some remixes of old favorites.

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.