Band vs. Group: What's the Difference?
Edited by Sumera Saeed || By Sawaira Riaz || Updated on October 19, 2023
"Band" often refers to a group of musicians, while "group" is a general term for any collection of individuals with a common characteristic or purpose.
Key Differences
"Band" typically denotes a smaller number of people united for a specific purpose, often musical in nature, such as a band of musicians. "Group," however, is a broader term that can refer to any collection of individuals who share a common interest or purpose, not limited to musical endeavors. The term "band" carries with it a sense of unity toward a creative pursuit, while "group" can be used in a myriad of contexts, from business to social settings, without implying a creative endeavor.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 19, 2023
In the music industry, a "band" is a specific type of musical ensemble usually known for performing rock, pop, or jazz music, and often comprises members who play different instruments. A "group," while it can also refer to a musical ensemble, does not necessarily imply musicianship or performance. For instance, a "group" in a music context might be a gathering of music producers or enthusiasts. Here, "band" implies performance and musicianship, while "group" encompasses a wider range of possibilities, not strictly tied to music performance.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 19, 2023
In social contexts, the term "band" often implies a smaller, tight-knit camaraderie or alliance, such as a band of brothers. In contrast, a "group" might refer to people who are categorized together for a particular characteristic or purpose, like a study group, without suggesting a close bond. Thus, "band" suggests a deep, often emotional connection, whereas "group" indicates a more functional or casual collective.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 19, 2023
In historical or anthropological terms, a "band" refers to a small, nomadic, and self-sufficient family group, often seen in hunter-gatherer societies. On the other hand, "group" could refer to any social faction or subdivision within a larger community or society, without the connotations of nomadism or self-sufficiency. In this context, "band" denotes a specific type of social structure, while "group" is a more general term for any collection of individuals.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 19, 2023
In ornithology, to "band" refers to the act of placing a band or tag on a bird's leg to identify and track it. "Group," in a similar context, might refer to a flock or gathering of birds, without implying the act of tagging or tracking them. In this usage, "band" is a verb involving a specific action, while "group" is a noun indicating a collective.
Janet White
Oct 19, 2023
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Comparison Chart
Parts of speech
Used as a noun and verb
Primarily used as a noun and sometimes as a verb (grouping)
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Oct 19, 2023
Grammatical role
Subject or object in a sentence
Typically functions as a subject or object in a sentence
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Oct 19, 2023
Compound forms
Band can be part of compound words, e.g., band-aid, headband
Group is used in compound words, e.g., subgroup, groupthink
Janet White
Oct 19, 2023
Collective Nouns
A band of musicians, a band of outlaws
A group of students, a group of islands
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Oct 19, 2023
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Band and Group Definitions
Band
A group of musicians who play music together.
The band entertained the guests with their lively performance.
Sara Rehman
Oct 19, 2023
Group
A commercial product or set of products available as a unit.
She bought the whole group of kitchen appliances.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 19, 2023
Band
A range of frequencies or wavelengths in a spectrum.
The radio station operates on a very narrow band of frequencies.
Harlon Moss
Oct 19, 2023
Group
A periodic table classification for elements sharing properties.
Oxygen and sulfur belong to the same group in the periodic table.
Janet White
Oct 19, 2023
Band
A group of people with a common ideology or purpose.
A small band of protesters gathered outside the building.
Janet White
Oct 19, 2023
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Group
An assemblage of persons or objects gathered or located together; an aggregation
A group of dinner guests.
A group of buildings near the road.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 23, 2022
Band
To mark (a bird) with a band for identification.
The researcher banded the migratory birds to study their travel patterns.
Aimie Carlson
Oct 19, 2023
Group
A set of two or more figures that make up a unit or design, as in sculpture.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 23, 2022
Band
A thin strip of flexible material used to encircle and bind one object or to hold a number of objects together
A metal band around the bale of cotton.
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Oct 23, 2022
Group
A number of individuals or things considered or classed together because of similarities
A small group of supporters across the country.
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Oct 23, 2022
Band
A strip or stripe that contrasts with something else in color, texture, or material.
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Oct 23, 2022
Group
(Linguistics) A category of related languages that is less inclusive than a family.
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Oct 23, 2022
Band
A narrow strip of fabric used to trim, finish, or reinforce articles of clothing.
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Oct 23, 2022
Group
A military unit consisting of two or more battalions and a headquarters.
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Oct 23, 2022
Band
Something that constrains or binds morally or legally
The bands of marriage and family.
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Oct 23, 2022
Group
A unit of two or more squadrons in the US Air Force, smaller than a wing.
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Oct 23, 2022
Group
Two or more atoms behaving or regarded as behaving as a single chemical unit.
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Oct 23, 2022
Band
Bands The two strips hanging from the front of a collar as part of the dress of certain clerics, scholars, and lawyers.
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Oct 23, 2022
Group
(Geology) A stratigraphic unit, especially a unit consisting of two or more formations deposited during a single geologic era.
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Oct 23, 2022
Group
(Mathematics) A set, together with a binary associative operation, such that the set is closed under the operation, the set contains an identity element for the operation, and each element of the set has an inverse element with respect to the operation. The integers form a group under the operation of ordinary addition.
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Oct 23, 2022
Band
(Biology) A chromatically, structurally, or functionally differentiated strip or stripe in or on an organism.
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Oct 23, 2022
Group
Of, relating to, constituting, or being a member of a group
A group discussion.
A group effort.
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Oct 23, 2022
Group
To place or arrange in a group
Grouped the children according to height.
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Oct 23, 2022
Band
A specific range of wavelengths or frequencies of electromagnetic radiation.
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Oct 23, 2022
Group
To belong to or form a group
The soldiers began to group on the hillside.
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Oct 23, 2022
Band
A range of very closely spaced electron energy levels in solids, the distribution and nature of which determine the electrical properties of a material.
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Oct 23, 2022
Group
A number of things or persons being in some relation to one another.
There is a group of houses behind the hill;
He left town to join a Communist group
A group of people gathered in front of the Parliament to demonstrate against the Prime Minister's proposals.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 23, 2022
Band
Any of the distinct grooves on a long-playing phonograph record that contains an individual selection or a separate section of a whole.
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Oct 23, 2022
Group
(group theory) A set with an associative binary operation, under which there exists an identity element, and such that each element has an inverse.
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Oct 23, 2022
Band
A cord or strip across the back of a book to which the sheets or quires are attached.
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Oct 23, 2022
Group
A (usually small) group of people who perform music together.
Did you see the new jazz group?
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Oct 23, 2022
Group
(astronomy) A small number (up to about fifty) of galaxies that are near each other.
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Oct 23, 2022
Band
(Anthropology) A unit of social organization especially among hunter-gatherers, consisting of a usually small number of families living together cooperatively.
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Oct 23, 2022
Band
(Canadian) An aboriginal group officially recognized as an organized unit by the Canadian government. See Usage Note at First Nation.
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Oct 23, 2022
Group
(computing) A number of users with the same rights with respect to accession, modification, and execution of files, computers and peripherals.
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Oct 23, 2022
Group
An element of an espresso machine from which hot water pours into the portafilter.
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Oct 23, 2022
Group
(music) A number of eighth, sixteenth, etc., notes joined at the stems; sometimes rather indefinitely applied to any ornament made up of a few short notes.
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Oct 23, 2022
Group
(sports) A set of teams playing each other in the same division, while not during the same period playing any teams that belong to other sets in the division.
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Oct 23, 2022
Band
A narrow strip of cloth or other material on clothing, to bind, strengthen, or ornament it.
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Oct 23, 2022
Group
(transitive) To put together to form a group.
Group the dogs by hair colour
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Oct 23, 2022
Band
A long strip of material, color, etc, that is different from the surrounding area.
Sandstone with bands of shale
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Oct 23, 2022
Group
A cluster, crowd, or throng; an assemblage, either of persons or things, collected without any regular form or arrangement; as, a group of men or of trees; a group of isles.
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Oct 23, 2022
Group
An assemblage of objects in a certain order or relation, or having some resemblance or common characteristic; as, groups of strata.
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Oct 23, 2022
Band
A continuous tablet, stripe, or series of ornaments, as of carved foliage, of colour, or of brickwork.
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Oct 23, 2022
Group
A variously limited assemblage of animals or plants, having some resemblance, or common characteristics in form or structure. The term has different uses, and may be made to include certain species of a genus, or a whole genus, or certain genera, or even several orders.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 23, 2022
Band
In Gothic architecture, the moulding, or suite of mouldings, which encircles the pillars and small shafts.
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Oct 23, 2022
Group
A number of eighth, sixteenth, etc., notes joined at the stems; - sometimes rather indefinitely applied to any ornament made up of a few short notes.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 23, 2022
Band
That which serves as the means of union or connection between persons; a tie.
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Oct 23, 2022
Group
To form a group of; to arrange or combine in a group or in groups, often with reference to mutual relation and the best effect; to form an assemblage of.
The difficulty lies in drawing and disposing, or, as the painters term it, in grouping such a multitude of different objects.
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Oct 23, 2022
Band
(in the plural) Two strips of linen hanging from the neck in front as part of a clerical, legal, or academic dress.
Preaching band
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Oct 23, 2022
Group
(chemistry) two or more atoms bound together as a single unit and forming part of a molecule
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Oct 23, 2022
Group
A set that is closed, associative, has an identity element and every element has an inverse
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Oct 23, 2022
Band
(physics) A group of energy levels in a solid state material.
Valence band;
Conduction band
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Oct 23, 2022
Group
A number of people or things that are located, gathered, or classed together.
A group of tourists visited the museum.
Harlon Moss
Oct 19, 2023
Band
A ring, such as a wedding ring (wedding band), or a ring put on a bird's leg to identify it.
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Oct 23, 2022
Group
Several individuals bound together by common relations or attributes.
He associates with a diverse group of friends.
Harlon Moss
Oct 19, 2023
Band
(sciences) Any distinguishing line formed by chromatography, electrophoresis etc
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Oct 23, 2022
Group
An organization consisting of different companies or institutions.
The corporate group owns several prestigious brands.
Sara Rehman
Oct 19, 2023
Band
A wad of money totaling $1K, held together by a band; (by extension) money
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Oct 23, 2022
Band
A group of musicians who perform together as an ensemble, usually for a professional recording artist.
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Oct 23, 2022
Band
A group of people loosely united for a common purpose a band of thieves.
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Oct 23, 2022
Band
(anthropology) A small group of people living in a simple society, contrasted with tribes, chiefdoms, and states.
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Oct 23, 2022
Band
(Canada) A group of aboriginals that has official recognition as an organized unit by the federal government of Canada.
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Oct 23, 2022
Band
A fillet, strap, or any narrow ligament with which a thing is encircled, or fastened, or by which a number of things are tied, bound together, or confined; a fetter.
Every one's bands were loosed.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 23, 2022
Band
A continuous tablet, stripe, or series of ornaments, as of carved foliage, of color, or of brickwork, etc.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 23, 2022
Band
That which serves as the means of union or connection between persons; a tie.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 23, 2022
Band
Two strips of linen hanging from the neck in front as part of a clerical, legal, or academic dress.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 23, 2022
Band
A narrow strip of cloth or other material on any article of dress, to bind, strengthen, ornament, or complete it.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 23, 2022
Band
A company of persons united in any common design, especially a body of armed men.
Troops of horsemen with his bands of foot.
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Oct 23, 2022
Band
A number of musicians who play together upon portable musical instruments, especially those making a loud sound, as certain wind instruments (trumpets, clarinets, etc.), and drums, or cymbals; as, a high school's marching band.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 23, 2022
Band
A space between elevated lines or ribs, as of the fruits of umbelliferous plants.
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Oct 23, 2022
Band
To confederate for some common purpose; to unite; to conspire together.
Certain of the Jews banded together.
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Oct 23, 2022
Band
An unofficial association of people or groups;
The smart set goes there
They were an angry lot
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Oct 23, 2022
Band
Jewelry consisting of a circlet of precious metal (often set with jewels) worn on the finger;
She had rings on every finger
He noted that she wore a wedding band
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 23, 2022
Band
A strip of material attached to the leg of a bird to identify it (as in studies of bird migration)
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Oct 23, 2022
Band
Attach a ring to the foot of, in order to identify;
Ring birds
Band the geese to observe their migratory patterns
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Oct 23, 2022
Band
A flat, thin strip or loop of material used as a fastener, decoration, or marker.
She wore a simple band in her hair.
Harlon Moss
Oct 19, 2023
FAQs
Is "banding" birds harmful?
No, if done correctly, banding doesn't harm birds and is valuable for research.
Harlon Moss
Oct 19, 2023
Can "band" refer to something non-musical?
Yes, "band" can also mean a ring, stripe, or a small group of people.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 19, 2023
Is a "group" always large?
No, a "group" can be any number of entities, small or large.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 19, 2023
Do all "bands" play rock music?
No, bands can play various genres, not just rock.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 19, 2023
Can a "group" be disjointed?
Yes, groups can be physically separate yet categorized together due to common traits.
Janet White
Oct 19, 2023
Can a "group" have a hierarchy?
Yes, groups can have internal structures or hierarchies.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 19, 2023
Is a "band" always organized?
Typically, yes, especially in the context of musicians or groups with a specific purpose.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 19, 2023
Can "band" be a verb?
Yes, "to band" can mean to unite, or to tag birds for tracking.
Sara Rehman
Oct 19, 2023
Are bands informal?
Bands can be formal or informal, depending on their structure and context.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 19, 2023
Can a "group" be temporary?
Yes, groups can be formed for short-term specific purposes.
Aimie Carlson
Oct 19, 2023
Does a "band" have a leader?
Often, but not always. Some bands operate democratically.
Aimie Carlson
Oct 19, 2023
Can a "band" be part of a "group"?
Yes, a band could be considered a specific type of group.
Aimie Carlson
Oct 19, 2023
Can animals form "groups"?
Yes, animals can form groups, such as flocks or herds.
Sara Rehman
Oct 19, 2023
Is a "band" a type of "team"?
It can be, especially when referring to people united for a common goal.
Sara Rehman
Oct 19, 2023
Does "group" imply similarity?
Often, as members of a group typically share common characteristics or goals.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 19, 2023
Can "group" be used scientifically?
Yes, in science, elements or species might be classified in groups.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 19, 2023
Can "group" imply collaboration?
Yes, a group often involves collaboration or shared identity.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 19, 2023
Are groups dynamic?
Groups can be dynamic, changing in size, structure, or purpose over time.
Harlon Moss
Oct 19, 2023
Can "band" refer to a physical restraint?
Yes, in some contexts, a "band" can be a restraining device.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 19, 2023
About Author
Written by
Sawaira RiazSawaira is a dedicated content editor at difference.wiki, where she meticulously refines articles to ensure clarity and accuracy. With a keen eye for detail, she upholds the site's commitment to delivering insightful and precise content.
Edited by
Sumera SaeedSumera is an experienced content writer and editor with a niche in comparative analysis. At Diffeence Wiki, she crafts clear and unbiased comparisons to guide readers in making informed decisions. With a dedication to thorough research and quality, Sumera's work stands out in the digital realm. Off the clock, she enjoys reading and exploring diverse cultures.
