What does horde mean?
A horde is a large group, most often of people or animals, that is imagined as moving together in an unruly or overwhelming way. The word can be neutral in contexts such as “a horde of fans,” but it frequently suggests disorder, excess, or a threatening mass. A second meaning, especially common in British English, is the verb “to horde,” meaning to accumulate and keep supplies, usually because they are scarce or may become harder to obtain. This use often carries a negative connotation, suggesting excessive or selfish accumulation. The word is useful when describing both the scale of a gathering and the social perception of it: “a horde of protesters” emphasizes the size and force of the crowd, while “horde water during a drought” emphasizes the stockpiling of a limited resource.
A large, often disorderly group of people or animals.
"A horde of children ran through the field after school."
When referring to people, the word can be dismissive or threatening, but it may also be used enthusiastically for a large gathering of fans or supporters.
To accumulate and store something, especially a scarce resource, for future use.
"Passengers horded bread and bottled water when the train was delayed."
The verb is especially common in British English and generally has a negative connotation, implying excessive or selfish stockpiling.
The standard plural is “hordes.”
"Several hordes of locusts crossed the farmland."
A horde is more than a crowd: it suggests a mass of people or creatures moving together with little order or individual control.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does horde come from?
The word comes through English contact with German, where Horde means a large group or troop. German had borrowed the term from Polish horda, which is generally traced farther back to a Turkic word for a nomad group or horde. The English noun developed in the Middle English period, while the verb meaning to accumulate or store is a later development based on the idea of gathering things into a group.
Related word forms
How horde is actually used
As a noun, the term often has a dismissive or threatening tone when referring to people, though it can also be neutral or enthusiastic in phrases such as “a horde of fans.” As a verb, it is more common in British English and is often used with food, money, or other scarce resources.
Easily confused with horde
A herd usually refers to a group of animals kept or moving together, while a horde commonly refers to a large, unruly group of people.
Horde is a noun or verb meaning a large group or to stockpile, whereas heard is the past tense and past participle of hear.