group
noun
Group — any number of things gathered and counted as one
Definition
Any number of entities (members) considered as a unit
In depth
A group is any collection of entities considered together as a single unit, however different its individual members might be in other respects. The word performs a quiet act of unification, taking what might otherwise be scattered and separate and binding it, conceptually, into a single countable whole.
Origin
The word entered English from Italian gruppo, originally a term from painting and sculpture describing a cluster of figures arranged together in a single composition. That artistic origin is easy to forget, but it explains the word's underlying visual logic: a group is, etymologically, things arranged so as to be seen together as one.
Usage examples
"A small group of survivors gathered at the edge of the ruined town, uncertain where to go next."
"The researchers studied the behavior of the group as a whole, rather than tracking any single individual."
"She had never quite felt part of any group, even ones she had technically belonged to for years."
How to use it
Group is one of the most widely useful nouns in the language, suited equally to sociology, mathematics, casual conversation, and narrative description of crowds or communities. Its neutrality makes it a safe default where more specific collective nouns might overcommit to a particular tone.
Related concepts
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