A collective noun is a noun such as 'family' or 'team' that refers to a group of people or things.
English Easy Learning GrammarTypes of nounNouns can be classified according to what they refer to. Nouns that are really names are called proper nouns. Proper nouns usually refer toa particular ... Read more
collective noun in British English
noun
a noun that is singular in form but that refers to a group of people or things
▶ USAGE Collective nouns are usually used with singular verbs: the family is on holiday; General Motors is mounting a big sales campaign. In British usage, however, plural verbs are sometimes employed in this context,esp when reference is being made to a collection of individual objects or people ratherthan to the group as a unit: the family are all on holiday. Care should be taken that the same collective noun is not treated as both singularand plural in the same sentence: the family is well and sends its best wishes or the family are all well and send their best wishes, but not the family is well and send their best wishes
Examples of 'collective noun' in a sentence
collective noun
What is the collective noun for this group?
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
What is the collective noun for a group of architects?
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The connection between collective nouns and the groups they identify are unique and often funny.
The Sun (2014)
What's the collective noun for a group of fashion editors?
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
There is no collective noun for a group of CEOs but perhaps it should be an enterprise.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The collective noun for a group of telecoms regulators, by the way, is a broad band.