herd
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herd
A group of animals of the same species, especially mammals such as cattle, sheep, or elephants, that live and feed together.
Eine große Herde Gnus zog durch die Savanne.
A large herd of wildebeest moved through the savanna.
Important terms are derived from 'Herde' (herd). 'Herdenverhalten' (herd behavior) describes how individuals in a group act the same way, and 'Herdenimmunität' (herd immunity) is a term from medicine.
Das Phänomen des Herdenverhaltens lässt sich bei Tieren und Menschen beobachten.
The phenomenon of herd behavior can be observed in animals and humans.
The word 'Herde' (herd) is used especially for groups of large, herbivorous mammals that live together. Typical examples are a herd of sheep, cattle, elephants, or zebras.
Auf der Safari sahen wir eine Herde Elefanten am Wasserloch.
On the safari, we saw a herd of elephants at the watering hole.
When 'Herde' (herd) is used for a crowd of people, it almost always has a negative, critical meaning. It implies that the people are acting uncritically and like animals.
Sie war stolz darauf, ihre eigene Meinung zu haben und nicht einfach mit der Herde zu laufen.
She was proud of having her own opinion and not simply running with the herd.
mass / crowd
'die Masse' and 'die Herde' can both refer to a larger group. 'Masse' is used generally for many people or things, often without any clear order. 'Herde' actually means a group of animals of the same species, for example cows or sheep. When used for people, 'Herde' is figurative and often derogatory: it sounds as if the people are only following along and not thinking for themselves. Learners may confuse the words because both describe a group. For neutral large groups, 'Masse' is safer; 'Herde' fits mainly for animals or when deliberately used derogatorily for people.
Auf der Wiese stand eine Herde Schafe neben dem Zaun.
A herd of sheep was standing in the meadow next to the fence.
Nach dem Konzert bewegte sich die Masse langsam zur U-Bahn.
After the concert, the crowd moved slowly toward the subway.