Dole
collective noun /doʊl/ — A group of doves — and the name holds a quiet sorrow.
Definition
The collective noun for a group of doves. In archaic English, dole also means grief or sorrow — an association that fits the mournful call of the dove.
Beyond the definition
The dove has always been the peace bird, the messenger, the symbol of something gentle and irreplaceable. A dole carries that sense of tenderness — and the old meaning of grief adds depth. Even their collective noun sounds like a feeling.
Origin & history
From Old French doel — grief, mourning (Latin dolere: to grieve). In collective noun tradition, the dove's melancholic cooing earned it a name rooted in sorrow. Both senses of dole — grief and portion — appear in Shakespeare.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
A dole of doves murmured on the ridge tiles, soft and unhurried.
She watched a dole descend to the square and felt, inexplicably, that something was remembered.
Dole carries grief in its bones — and doves have always sounded like they know something sad.
How to use it
Follow this entry’s examples for grammatical form and sentence placement.
Choose “Dole” when the meaning fits your context: The collective noun for a group of doves. In archaic English, dole also means grief or sorrow — an association that fits the mournful call of the dove.
Synonyms
flock, flight
Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Word in focus
A dole of doves
Doves gathered together beside a pool.
Here, “dole” names the whole gathering. Notice the animals together rather than looking for one individual with that name. The photograph illustrates the group; it is not evidence that this particular scene inspired the expression.
Image credit: Bärbel Miemietz · CC BY-SA 4.0 (license)
Resized and converted to WebP; displayed with a fitted crop.
Questions about this word
What does "Dole" mean?
Dole is collective noun meaning: A group of doves — and the name holds a quiet sorrow.. The collective noun for a group of doves. In archaic English, dole also means grief or sorrow — an association that fits the mournful call of the dove.
Where does the word "Dole" come from?
From Old French doel — grief, mourning (Latin dolere: to grieve). In collective noun tradition, the dove's melancholic cooing earned it a name rooted in sorrow. Both senses of dole — grief and portion — appear in Shakespeare.