Quick answer: Hoard (noun or verb) means a hidden store of valuable things, or to accumulate and store things secretively: a hoard of treasure; she hoards old newspapers. Horde (noun) means a large, often disorderly crowd or group of people: a horde of tourists. Memory trick: hOARD shares letters with hOARDing money or objects; hORDE rhymes with "hordes of order-less people" — a crowd. For a fuller definition, see the Cambridge Dictionary entry for ‘hoard’.
Comparison Table
| Word | Part of Speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| hoard | noun / verb | a hidden store of something valuable; to accumulate and store secretively | They found a hoard of Roman coins. |
| horde | noun | a large, often disorderly crowd or group of people | A horde of shoppers rushed through the doors. |
Using Hoard (Noun and Verb)
As a noun, a hoard is a hidden supply or stockpile of money, valuables, food, or other items, often kept secretly for future use. As a verb, to hoard means to collect and store things, often obsessively or secretively, sometimes far beyond what is needed. Both senses treat hoard as countable when it refers to a specific stockpile, a pattern explored further on our countable and uncountable nouns page.
Archaeologists uncovered a hoard of ancient gold jewellery.
The dragon guarded its hoard of treasure deep in the cave.
My grandmother used to hoard old magazines in the attic.
During the shortage, some people began to hoard essential supplies.
He has a secret hoard of chocolate hidden in his desk.
Common Collocations with Hoard
- a hoard of treasure / coins / gold
- to hoard food / cash / supplies
- hoarding (the related noun for the behaviour, or a large advertising board in British English)
- hoarder (a person who hoards excessively)
Using Horde (Noun)
A horde is a large group or crowd of people, animals, or things, typically moving together and often perceived as disorderly, overwhelming, or invasive. It originally referred to nomadic tribes, especially the Mongol hordes of medieval history, but today it is used broadly for any large, often unwelcome, crowd.
A horde of tourists descended on the small village every summer.
Hordes of shoppers lined up outside the store before dawn on Black Friday.
The zombie film featured a terrifying horde of the undead.
A horde of journalists surrounded the celebrity outside the courthouse.
Historians study the invasions of the Mongol hordes in the thirteenth century.
Common Collocations with Horde
- a horde of tourists / shoppers / fans
- hordes of (people/insects/locusts)
- invading hordes (historical usage)
Memory Trick
Think of hOARD as related to a board where you keep your secret stash locked away — hoard = hidden objects. Think of hORDE as connected to "hOrde = a hOrd of people," a crowd moving in a disorderly, out-of-order fashion. If you can picture treasure, use hoard; if you can picture a crowd of people, use horde.
Common Mistakes
✗ She keeps a horde of old letters in a box.
✓ She keeps a hoard of old letters in a box.
✗ A hoard of fans waited outside the stadium.
✓ A horde of fans waited outside the stadium.
✗ People started to horde toilet paper during the crisis.
✓ People started to hoard toilet paper during the crisis.
Mini-Quiz
Test your understanding with an interactive exercise:
- Grammar Quiz — choose the correct word in multiple-choice questions.
- Cloze Dropdown — fill in the blank with hoard or horde.
Quick Check: Hoard or Horde?
Four questions — choose the correct word for each sentence.
1. “Archaeologists found a ___ of gold coins.”
2. “A ___ of tourists filled the square.”
3. “My grandmother used to ___ old newspapers.”
4. “Which word originally described the Mongol tribes?”
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between hoard and horde?
Hoard (noun or verb) refers to a hidden store of valuable things, or the act of collecting and storing things secretively: "a hoard of treasure," "she hoards old newspapers." Horde (noun) refers to a large, often disorderly crowd or group of people: "a horde of tourists." The two words are homophones — they sound identical — but describe completely different things: objects versus people.
Can hoard be used as both a noun and a verb?
Yes. As a noun, hoard means a stockpile: "The museum displayed a Viking hoard of silver." As a verb, hoard means to accumulate and store, often obsessively: "He hoards vintage comic books." Horde, by contrast, is used only as a noun in standard modern English.
Where does the word horde come from?
Horde entered English from a Turkic word meaning "camp," via Polish and French, historically describing nomadic tribes such as the Mongol hordes who swept across Asia and Europe in the thirteenth century. Today it has broadened to mean any large, often overwhelming crowd of people, animals, or even insects, without the original military connotation.
Is hoarding always seen negatively?
Often, yes. Hoarding can carry a negative connotation, suggesting excessive, secretive, or unnecessary accumulation, especially in phrases like "hoarding disorder," a recognised psychological condition involving extreme difficulty discarding possessions. However, hoarding can also be neutral or even admirable in some contexts, such as squirrels hoarding food for winter, which is simply natural, sensible behaviour.
What are common collocations with hoard?
Common collocations include: a hoard of treasure/coins/gold, to hoard food/cash/supplies, a secret hoard, an ancient hoard (often used in archaeology news stories), and hoarder (a person who compulsively hoards). Hoard frequently appears in news reports about archaeological discoveries: "Metal detectorists unearthed a huge Anglo-Saxon hoard."
What are common collocations with horde?
Common collocations include: a horde of tourists/shoppers/fans, hordes of (insects, locusts, zombies), invading hordes, and descend/swarm/gather in hordes. Horde is often used slightly humorously or critically about crowds seen as overwhelming or unwelcome, such as tourist hordes at a popular attraction.
Is horde always spelled with an E at the end?
Yes, in standard English the noun is always spelled horde, ending in -orde. There is no correct alternative spelling. The word hoard, referring to a stockpile, has a completely different spelling with an A after the H, which is the key visual difference to remember between the two homophones.
Can horde describe animals as well as people?
Yes. While horde most commonly describes crowds of people, it can also describe large, overwhelming groups of animals or insects: "A horde of locusts destroyed the crops" or "Hordes of ants invaded the picnic." In these cases, it emphasises the sheer number and often disorderly, swarming movement of the group.
How can I remember hoard vs horde?
Link hOARD to bOARD — imagine a treasure chest with a wooden board lid where you hoard your valuables. Link hORDE to hORDE of people moving in dis-ORDEr — a crowd. Alternatively, remember that hoard has the letter A, like "amass," while horde has no A and instead relates to a mass of people.
Is "hoard" countable or uncountable?
Hoard is typically a countable noun when referring to a specific stockpile: "a hoard of coins," "several hoards were discovered." It can be pluralised as "hoards" when describing multiple separate stockpiles: "Archaeologists have found several Viking hoards across Britain." Horde follows the same countable pattern: "a horde," "several hordes."