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What makes up a bevy?
There’s no need to quail when confronted with a word of uncertain origins; some mysteries are simply destined to remain as such. Etymologists have a bevy of theories about the roots of bevy, for example, but little definitive evidence—and that’s okay! What we do know is that bevy emerged out of Middle English as the collective noun for a number of birds and mammals that were commonly hunted, including pheasants, partridges, roe deer, larks, and especially quail. Bevy is still used in this way today, not only for wild game but for gulls, hens, etc. But bevies are now most often composed of a great many people and things, as in “a bevy of reporters” or “a bevy of menu options.”
Examples of bevy in a Sentence
Julia Teti, Footwear News, 9 Feb. 2026
Just minutes earlier at a nearby pregame party, attractions include food, drinks and a bevy of merchandise stands.
—Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 8 Feb. 2026
The extravagant ceremony, a traditional performance/show put on by the host country of every Olympic Games, is taking place at Milan's San Siro Stadium this year, and featured a bevy of celebrity performers and cameos, including Mariah Carey, Charlize Theron and Andrea Bocelli.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 6 Feb. 2026
Its fully wireless outputs and a bevy of technical upgrades please tech purists and design-lovers alike.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bevy
Cite this Entry
“Bevy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bevy. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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