Dole is a collective noun for doves, related to a Latin word for sadness. A news story about a vigil used it for doves released in memory of someone who had died. It belongs with bird-group terms such as a famous murmuration of starlings and other collective nouns from the aviary world, including an exaltation of larks. This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “A “Dole of Doves” Is the Collective Noun for That Group of Birds”
We’ve talked before on the show about collective nouns, like an exaltation of larks.
Right.
I came across one the other day in a story on CNN.
Oh, okay.
The collective noun was dole, D-O-L-E, a collective noun for doves.
It’s related to the Latin word for sadness.
And this was a description of a vigil for someone who died, and they released a dole of doves into the air.
Sort of a mournful image, a dole of doves.
I love that.
I do too.
That’s fantastic.
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