Hoarders and Hordes: The Treasure Keepers vs. The Crowd Movers

Hoarders and Hordes: The Treasure Keepers vs. The Crowd Movers

Difference Between “Hoard” and “Horde”

Words can sometimes sound the same but mean different things. Two such words are “hoard” and “horde.” Let’s look at what each word means and how you can remember them.

History of the Words

“Hoard” comes from Old English word “hord,” meaning a hidden treasure. People have used it for many years to talk about saving things. “Horde” comes from the Turkish word “ordu,” which means a camp or group of people. It has been used to describe a large crowd or group.

How to Use “Hoard”

“Hoard” is a verb. It means to collect and keep a lot of things, often in secret. Sometimes people hoard things because they are afraid they won’t have enough later.

Here are five example sentences:

• She likes to hoard old newspapers in her attic.
• The squirrel hoards nuts for the winter.
• He tends to hoard toys even if he doesn’t play with them.
• The dragon hoards gold in its cave.
• Some people hoard food because they feel safer that way.

How to Use “Horde”

“Horde” is a noun. It means a large group of people or sometimes animals. Usually, a horde moves together, like a crowd.

Here are five example sentences:

• A horde of children ran to the park.
• The horde of fans waited for the band to start playing.
• A horde of bees flew from the hive.
• They saw a horde of tourists at the museum.
• A horde of zombies appeared in the movie.

Trick to Remember the Difference

Think of the letter “A” in “hoard” as “All to yourself,” because when you hoard, you keep things to yourself. In “horde,” think of “E” as “Everyone,” because a horde is a large group of people or animals.

Summary

“Hoard” means to keep a lot of things, often in secret. “Horde” means a large group of people or animals. Remember “A” for “All to yourself” for “hoard” and “E” for “Everyone” for “horde” to keep them apart.