collective noun
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collective noun — 1. A collective noun is one that is singular in form and denotes a number of individuals, for example audience, choir, committee, flock, multitude. Apart from the names of individual animals, birds, etc. (deer, grouse, sheep, trout) and names for … Modern English usage
collective noun — noun Grammar a count noun that denotes a group of individuals (e.g. assembly, family, crew). Usage A collective noun can be used with either a singular verb (my family was always hard working) or a plural verb (his family were disappointed in… … English new terms dictionary
collective noun — collective nouns N COUNT A collective noun is a noun such as family or team that refers to a group of people or things … English dictionary
collective noun — noun a noun that is singular in form but refers to a group of people or things • Hypernyms: ↑noun * * * noun, pl ⋯ nouns [count] technical : a word (such as family or herd) that names a group of people or things * * * colˌlective ˈnoun… … Useful english dictionary
collective noun — ► NOUN ▪ a noun that denotes a group of individuals (e.g. assembly, family) … English terms dictionary
Collective noun — In linguistics, a collective noun is a word used to define a group of objects, where objects can be people, animals, emotions, inanimate things, concepts, or other things. For example, in the phrase a pride of lions , pride is a collective noun.… … Wikipedia
collective noun — Gram. a noun, as herd, jury, or clergy, that appears singular in formal shape but denotes a group of persons or objects. [1510 20] Usage. Whether a COLLECTIVE NOUN, which is singular in form, is used with a singular or plural verb depends on… … Universalium
collective noun — collec′tive noun′ n. gram. use a noun, as herd, jury, or clergy, that appears singular in formal shape but denotes a group of individuals or objects • Etymology: 1510–20 usage: Whether a collective noun will be used with a singular or plural verb … From formal English to slang
collective noun — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms collective noun : singular collective noun plural collective nouns linguistics a noun that refers to a group of people and is followed by a singular or plural verb, for example team or family … English dictionary
collective noun — noun (C) technical a noun, such as committee or family , that is the name of people or things considered as a unit … Longman dictionary of contemporary English
