bevy
[bev-ee]
- a group of birds, as larks or quail, or animals, as roebuck, in close association.
- a large group or collection: a bevy of boisterous sailors.
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Origin of bevy
1400–50; late Middle English bevey, of obscure origin
Synonyms
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words
gatheringassemblycrowdclusterflightcompanycoveycollectioncrewbandtroupepartyflockbunchgrouppackExamples from the Web for bevy
Contemporary Examples
Clooney has been photographed through the hedges with a bevy of young women since he bought the place in 2001.
From 1998 to 2006, Valderrama's role on the beloved sitcom also granted him access to a bevy of available starlets.
Liesl Schillinger to the rescue with a bevy of words that might help you make sense of it all.
There will be a bevy of live-blogs on sites like Gizmodo, CNET, and The Verge.
A video of him dancing, Las Vegas style, with a bevy of showgirls has fast dominated the Jewish blogosphere.
Historical Examples
No bevy of ladies, no merry parties, no pageants worthy of the name.
The Little Manx Nation - 1891Hall Caine
At that they laughed, and said they must choose him a bevy of fair women.
CyropaediaXenophon
The two Kit had pointed out were, as well as we could judge, the fairest of the bevy.
Left on LabradorCharles Asbury Stephens
There was a bevy of girls about her and they all talked at once.
The Girls at Mount MorrisAmanda Minnie Douglas
They scuttled into the nearest seats at hand like a bevy of startled partridges.
Marjorie DeanPauline Lester
bevy
- a flock of quails
- a group, esp of girls
- a group of roedeer
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Word Origin
C15: of uncertain origin
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for bevy
n.
early 15c., collective noun of quails and ladies, from Anglo-French bevée, of unknown origin. One supposed definition of the word is "a drinking bout," but this is perhaps a misprint of bever, from Old French beivre (see beverage). Still, it's possible that the original sense could be a company of birds gathered at a puddle or pool for drinking or bathing.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper