What is the correct idiom? 'Birds of the same feather flock together' OR ... https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-correct-idiom-Birds-of-the-same-feather-flock-to... The idiom is birds of a feather flock together. This is an ancient proverb, with roots traced back to 1545 when William Turner wrote in The Rescuing of Romish Fox: "Byrdes of on kynde and color flok and flye allwayes together." It is still in common use today -- talk about staying power!
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What is the correct idiom? "Birds of the same feather flock together" OR "Birds of a feather flock together"?
9 Answers
Amy Gillett
Amy Gillett, expert on American English idioms and author of Speak English Like an American and Speak Business English L...
Answered Sep 18, 2015
The idiom is birds of a feather flock together.
This is an ancient proverb, with roots traced back to 1545 when William Turner wrote in The Rescuing of Romish Fox: "Byrdes of on kynde and color flok and flye allwayes together." It is still in common use today -- talk about staying power!
I have decided to make it a USEFUL IDIOM OF THE DAY on my Facebook page. Please visit and stay on top of your idioms:
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58.5k Views · 6 Upvotes · Answer requested by Mhurgrette Sagoe
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Kostiantyn Kharchenko
Kostiantyn Kharchenko, Enrich your English language skills. Take some idioms into service.
Answered Oct 14, 2015
Birds of a feather flock together
Said about people who have similar characters or interests, especially ones of which you disapprove, and who often spend time with each other.
12 most used sayings in the English language with the word bird. Enrich your English language skills. Take these idioms into service.
16k Views · 1 Upvote
Joe Devney
Joe Devney, Linguistic Consultant, Writer
Answered Dec 28, 2015
It's "birds of a feather." Because it is an idiom, if you change "a" to "the same," it won't be the same, and the meaning would be built up from the meanings of the constituent words.
16.2k Views · 5 Upvotes · Answer requested by Jinpa Tharchin
Pamela B. Zohar
Pamela B. Zohar, M.S. in geology, +35 years work experience in exploration and mining geology.
Answered Apr 21, 2016
Birds of a feather, flock together.
It is a very old saying - it does, however, MEAN that 'birds of (the same) feather flock together'. It means that people with the same interests 'move' the same way - just as a flock of (identical species) of birds move together in groups.
9.9k Views · 1 Upvote
Drew Robert
Drew Robert
Answered Jul 21, 2014
This proverb has been in use since at least the mid 16th century. In 1545 William Turner used a version of it in his papist satire The Rescuing of Romish Fox:
"Byrdes of on kynde and color flok and flye allwayes together."
and the first version seems to be a elaborate rephrasing of the latter , but looks to be a little incorrect semantically.
9.2k Views · 1 Upvote
Stephen Kazoullis
Stephen Kazoullis, Mathematics teacher in High Schools for over thirty years. BA., BEd.,
Answered Apr 17, 2016
I learnt it as "birds of a feather flock together " .If it interests you, William Turner in 1545 used a version in his papist satire The Rescuing of Romish Fox that goes,
"Byrdes of on kynde and color flok and flye together."
The first known citation in print of the currently used English version of the phrase appeared in 1599 in The Dictionarie in Spanish and English which was compiled by the English lexicographer John Minsheu :
Birdes of a feather will flocke togither
There is evidence that the phrase goes as far back as Plato, circa 380 BC.
7.9k Views
Geoff Smith
Geoff Smith, Drug and Alcohol Test Expert
Answered Dec 15, 2016
As a native English speaker I have never heard your first example. Therefore, I assume that the second one is the correct idiom as I hear it and I use it often.
1.9k Views
Michael Wynne Sellars
Michael Wynne Sellars, Retired English Faculty / Philosophical Meanie.
Answered Jun 6, 2016
Definition: homophily, usually resulting in groupthink
4.5k Views
Bala Senthil Kumar
Bala Senthil Kumar, As required
Answered Jul 15, 2014
The latter.
"A feather" means 'of same stock'.
9.3k Views
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