Elsewhere, aput said, "Anywhere in mathematics, group means precisely one thing and you just can't use it in its everyday sense." And I suppressed the urge to make the smart-ass reply, "Does that mean you can't refer to a 'group of mathematicians'?"

But that leads to another thought. We speak of a flock of geese and of a herd of cattle, and we could create other collective terms, like "a group of mathematicians". Is anyone feeling creative today?

I'll start with "a serving of waiters".

a clatter of typists

An exposure of lap-dancers.

a loitering of lollygaggers

a draft of editors

...and conversely,

a lolly of loiterers

a change of editors

A clique of graph theorists?

Sometimes I think I'm too obscure.

a posse of police

a draught of brewers

a sketch of artists

Oh, I love these...

a catalogue of librarians

a preach of ministers

a giggle of girls

a curiosity of cats

a draught of barmaids

a pentameter of poets

a portfolio of ministers
a bliss of lovers
a kettle of cooks
a quietude of mimes (a box of mimes?)
a convention of shriners
a hush of librarians

By the way, when librarians get together for a convention, do they party wildly or does it remain a hush-hush affair?

Depends on the librarians! NOTHING is hush-hush with me around!

a lift of skiers
a case of lawyers
a crash of boys
a party of girls
a show of models
an annoyance of telemarketers

a chorus of frogs
a crock of used-car salesmen (or "of lawyers"!)
a cart of mapmakers
an island of geographers
an ocean of geographers (a bigger group)
a litter of teenagers
a flash of photographers
a column of newsmen
a score of sportswriters
a brace of orthopedists

a needle of nurses
a press of dry cleaners
a press of journalists
a colophon of printers
a stampede of cowboys
a reel of cinematographers
a leer of playboys
a creel of fishermen

a grope of hired hands

a parse of grammarians

a declension of classic-language scholars

a tangle of string quartets

a sheaf of printers
a foil of fencers
a lance of jousters
a clutch of gropers
a litter of veterinarians
a group of fans

I suspect mainly the British wordcrafters will get this:

A wunch of bankers.

Arnie, this Wolonial Cordcrafter got it.

a break of goblets
a study of desks
a stealth of detectives
a fiesta of buckeyes
a rejoinder of defendants
a replication of plaintiffs

I got it, but I suspect few of us got your "fiesta of buckeyes". Well said!

From the point of view of the University of Michigan Wolverines, who believe that they regularly have the Ohio State Buckeyes for lunch, perhaps that one should be a feast of buckeyes.

(To which arnie's methodology would apply quite neatly! )

This message has been edited. Last edited by: shufitz,

a line of chorines
a strip of ecdysiasts
an acre of dentists
a siesta of sombreros
a prostration of urologists (or in extreme cases, a prickling)

This message has been edited. Last edited by: shufitz,

a plague of epidemiologists

Shu:

(Of course, no one can fathom what goes on in the minds of those misguided Wolverines!)

quote:

a prostration of urologists

Having today had a prostate exam, I'm thinking a finger of urologists.

A hare-um of Playboy bunnies?

A slime of slugs?

A herptangle of snakes?

A pool of mis-spent youths?

a probe of proctologists?

a lingering of sluggards

a catalog of librarians

a gossip of reporters

a plank of benches

Geez, you guys are good!

Shu, you said "a brace of orthopedists." I like a "brace of orthodontists" better.

a branch of genealogists
a peek of gynecologists
a puddle of toddlers
a clip of Sweet Adelines
a culture of ethnographers
a conflagration of arsonists

a score of composers

a buzz of pilots

a gaze of opthamologists

a roll of gamers

I'm not sure if youns share my humor, but the ones a friend & I made up amused me.

A walk or friendship of ghosts (comics refs.)
A canter of ghosts, an opus of phantoms (theater refs.)
A thrall of A.I. (norse poetry)