Gaggle
collective noun /ˈɡæɡəl/ — A group of geese on the ground — chaotic, loud, and entirely unashamed.
Definition
The collective noun for a group of geese on land or water (when in flight, they become a skein). The word captures their clamorous, disorganised energy.
Beyond the definition
Geese on the ground are comedic and assertive — they hiss, chase, honk, and occupy space with remarkable confidence for birds. Gaggle onomatopoeically captures all of this. The word sounds like what it is.
Origin & history
From Middle English gagelen — to cackle (imitative of the sound geese make). The word is delightfully onomatopoeic: a gaggle sounds like gaggling. Nature named itself.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
A gaggle of geese blocked the car park entrance with absolute conviction.
She described the school run as a gaggle — which was fair.
The gaggle moved as one mob, loudly disagreeing about which direction that was.
How to use it
Follow this entry’s examples for grammatical form and sentence placement.
Choose “Gaggle” when the meaning fits your context: The collective noun for a group of geese on land or water (when in flight, they become a skein). The word captures their clamorous, disorganised energy.
Synonyms
flock, herd, skein
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 gaggle of geese
A flock of geese and ducks flying above a wetland.
Here, “gaggle” 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: Hillebrand Steve, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Public domain (license)
Resized and converted to WebP; displayed with a fitted crop.
Questions about this word
What does "Gaggle" mean?
Gaggle is collective noun meaning: A group of geese on the ground — chaotic, loud, and entirely unashamed.. The collective noun for a group of geese on land or water (when in flight, they become a skein). The word captures their clamorous, disorganised energy.
Where does the word "Gaggle" come from?
From Middle English gagelen — to cackle (imitative of the sound geese make). The word is delightfully onomatopoeic: a gaggle sounds like gaggling. Nature named itself.