1
: a group of animals (such as birds or sheep) assembled or herded together
2
: a group under the guidance of a leader
especially : a church congregation
3
: a large number
a flock of tourists

flock

2 of 4

verb (1)

flocked; flocking; flocks

intransitive verb

: to gather or move in a flock
they flocked to the beach

flock

3 of 4

noun (2)

1
: a tuft of wool or cotton fiber
2
: woolen or cotton refuse used for stuffing furniture and mattresses
3
: very short or pulverized fiber used especially to form a velvety pattern on cloth or paper or a protective covering on metal
4
: floc

flock

4 of 4

verb (2)

flocked; flocking; flocks

transitive verb

1
: to fill with flock
2
: to decorate with flock

Examples of flock in a Sentence

Noun (1) a flock of obstreperous reporters at the press conference a flock of sheep crossing the road Verb (1) vacationers flocked to the towns along the shore in order to escape the August heat
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Egg prices have soared in the U.S. due to an outbreak of bird flu, which has impacted poultry flocks and led to supply shortages. Veronica Bravo, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2025 Caughey cites research showing that flock members experiencing fear or suffering impact the heart rate and hormonal levels of other chickens in the same flock, even those not exposed to the triggering stimuli of the fearful hens. Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 29 Mar. 2025
Verb
Singapore time, as investors flocked to the precious metal. Amala Balakrishner, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2025 Grant Park in Chicago has become its main location that many fans flock to every year for a diverse music lineup and performances. Marina Watts, People.com, 1 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for flock

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English flocc crowd, band; akin to Old Norse flokkr crowd, band

Noun (2)

Middle English flok, from Anglo-French, from Latin floccus

First Known Use

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of flock was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Flock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flock. Accessed 8 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

1
: a group of animals (as birds or sheep) assembled or herded together
2
: a group someone keeps watch over
3
: a large number
a flock of tourists

flock

2 of 2 verb
: to gather or move in a crowd
they flocked to the beach

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