Eloquence
collective noun /ˈɛləkwəns/ — A group of owls — named as if the namer loved language.
Definition
The collective noun for a group of owls. The word itself means fluent, persuasive expression — applied to owls for their association with wisdom and considered silence.
Beyond the definition
There's something aspirational about naming a group of owls after the highest form of human speech. As if to say: they have something to say, they just say it better than we do. Silence can be its own eloquence.
Origin & history
From Latin eloquentia — flowing speech (eloqui: to speak out). Owls have been symbols of wisdom since ancient Greece. Giving their collective noun the word for wisdom in speech is a kind of literary joke — or genuine admiration.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
An eloquence of owls observed from the treeline, communicating nothing but presence.
She called the panel of senior advisors an eloquence — they hadn't agreed to be called owls.
The word fits: owls speak rarely, and when they do, you listen.
How to use it
Follow this entry’s examples for grammatical form and sentence placement.
Choose “Eloquence” when the meaning fits your context: The collective noun for a group of owls. The word itself means fluent, persuasive expression — applied to owls for their association with wisdom and considered silence.
Synonyms
parliament, flock
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
An eloquence of owls
Three young owls perched close together in a tree.
Here, “eloquence” 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: Apu Jaman · CC BY-SA 4.0 (license)
Resized and converted to WebP; displayed with a fitted crop.
Questions about this word
What does "Eloquence" mean?
Eloquence is collective noun meaning: A group of owls — named as if the namer loved language.. The collective noun for a group of owls. The word itself means fluent, persuasive expression — applied to owls for their association with wisdom and considered silence.
Where does the word "Eloquence" come from?
From Latin eloquentia — flowing speech (eloqui: to speak out). Owls have been symbols of wisdom since ancient Greece. Giving their collective noun the word for wisdom in speech is a kind of literary joke — or genuine admiration.