Latin Plural Endings

Latin Plural Endings Latin Plural Endings Latin Plural Endings By Mark Nichol Pluralization of Latin-based nouns is a complicated field. Preference for Latin or English plural endings is inconsistent in similarly constructed words, as is the presence of alternative forms at all. Here’s a guide to plural forms for Latin words, identifying, for more than a hundred nouns of Latin origin and a few similarly constructed terms from other languages, which ending among two or three alternatives is preferred for particular words or in which contexts various alternative forms are employed. When two or more alternatives are listed, the first is the more (or most) common. Words ending in a, plural -s or -ae alga: algae or algas antenna: antennas or antennae (only antennae is correct for the sensory organs on animals; antennas in more common in other contexts) formula: formulas or formulae larva: larvae or larvas nebula: nebulae or nebulas: the former ending is employed in astronomy, and the latter applies in medical contexts vertebra: vertebrae or vertebras (vertebrae is sometimes incorrectly used to refer to a single vertebra) Words ending in ex, plural -exes or -ices apex: apexes or apices index: indexes or indices vortex: vortices or vortexes Words ending in eau, plural -eaus or -eaux bureau: bureaus or bureaux (the latter form is rare for this word and the other two in this category) chà ¢teau: chà ¢teaus or chà ¢teaux plateau: plateaus or plateaux Words ending in ion, plural -ia criterion: criteria ganglion: ganglia or ganglions Words ending in is, plural -es analysis: analyses axis: axes basis: bases crisis: crises diagnosis: diagnoses ellipsis: ellipses hypothesis: hypotheses oasis: oases paralysis: paralyses parenthesis: parentheses synopsis: synopses synthesis: syntheses thesis: theses Words ending in ix appendix: appendixes or appendices matrix: matrices or matrixes Words ending in o, plural -os or -i graffito: graffiti (the plural form is almost invariable used in place of the singular form) libretto: librettos or libretti virtuoso: virtuosos or virtuosi Words ending in o, plural -os or -oes armadillo: armadillos avocado: avocados or avocadoes banjo: banjos or banjoes bistro: bistros calypso: calypsos or calypsoes (the former spelling pertains to either the flower or the music style, and the latter form applies only to the music form) cargo: cargoes or cargos casino: casinos contralto: contraltos dingo: dingoes domino: dominoes or dominos dynamo: dynamos echo: echoes or echos ego: egos embargo: embargoes flamingo: flamingos or flamingoes folio: folios grotto: grottoes or grottos hero: heroes hippo: hippos innuendo: innuendos or innuendoes lasso: lassos or lassoes mango: mangoes or mangos motto: mottoes paparazzo: paparazzi pistachio: pistachios portfolio: portfolios potato: potatoes radio: radios ratio: ratios rhino: rhinos or rhino stiletto: stilettos or stilettoes studio: studios tornado: tornadoes or tornados torpedo: torpedoes veto: vetoes volcano: volcanoes or volcanos weirdo: weirdos Words ending in oo, plural -oos cockatoo: cockatoos kangaroo: kangaroos zoo: zoos Words ending in um, plural -a or -ums addendum: addenda or addendums agendum: agenda or agendums (agenda is almost invariably used in place of the singular form, and agendums is rare) aquarium: aquariums or aquaria atrium: atria or atriums bacterium: bacteria candelabrum: candelabra or candelabrums corrigendum: corrigenda curriculum: curricula or curriculums datum: data or datums (data is often used as a mass noun, taking a singular verb and being substituted by a singular pronoun) erratum: errata gymnasium: gymnasiums or gymnasia maximum: maxima or maximums medium: mediums or media (media is the correct alternative to refer to forms of expression or information or in biological contexts) memorandum: memorandums or memoranda millennium: millennia or millenniums minimum: minima or minimums moratorium: moratoriums or moratoria podium: podiums or podia referendum: referenda or referendums spectrum: spectra or spectrums stratum: strata symposium: symposiums or symposia Words ending in us, plural -uses or -i alumnus/alumna: alumni or alumnae (alumnus refers to a man and alumna to a woman, alumni pertains to men or to men and women and alumnae to women; alumni is often employed in the singular, and alum/alums are used informally as gender-neutral singular and plural forms) bacillus: bacilli cactus: cacti or cactuses focus: foci or focuses fungus: fungi or funguses hippopotamus: hippopotamuses or hippopotami locus: loci narcissus: narcissi or narcissuses or narcissus platypus: platypuses or platypi radius: radii or radiuses stimulus: stimuli syllabus: syllabi or syllabuses terminus: termini or terminuses Words ending in on, plural -a or -ons automaton: automotons or automata phenomenon: phenomena or phenomenons Assorted cherub: cherubim or cherubs (the former alternative applies to angels and the latter pertains to depictions of winged children or to cherubic-looking people) rhinoceros: rhinoceroses or rhinoceros or rhinoceri seraph: seraphim or seraphs Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:The Royal Order of Adjectives 50 Synonyms for "Assistant"Wood vs. Wooden