horde

horde, mob

noun ORD Rare

Origin: Turkish 'ordu' (army, camp), via Polish 'horda'

Usage Note

Horde carries a sense of a large, disorganized, and often threatening crowd — une horde de touristes is a common ironic expression. The word entered French through descriptions of Mongol and Tatar armies and still retains a slightly pejorative, unruly connotation.

Examples

"Une horde de fans envahit la place."

Natural Translation

A horde of fans invaded the square.

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