plural
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plural
Plurals of nouns are used to indicate when there is more than one person, place, animal, or thing.
The normal method for making nouns plural is to add an “-s” at the end of the noun.
If a noun ends in “-s,” “-x,” “-z,” or with a cluster of consonants, such as “-sh”, “-ch”, or “-tch” (as in “watch”), we add “-es” to render it plural.
When the noun ends in a “-y” and it is preceded by a consonant, we change “y” to “i” and add “-es.”
However, when a word ends in a “-y” preceded by a vowel, then we simply add an “-s” as usual.
There are some nouns that are irregular. They do not adhere to spelling rules, and so these need to be memorized.
plural
more than one in number; a plural word or form: dictionaries is the plural form of dictionary
Not to be confused with:
pleural – pertaining to the pleura, a serous membrane lining the thorax and enveloping the lungs: pleural pneumonia
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
plu·ral
(plo͝or′əl)adj.
1. Relating to or composed of more than one member, set, or kind: the plural meanings of a text; a plural society.
2. Grammar Of or being a grammatical form that designates more than one of the things specified.
n. Grammar
1. The plural number or form.
2. A word or term in the plural form.
[Middle English plurel, from Old French, from Latin plūrālis, from plūs, plūr-, more; see pelə- in Indo-European roots.]
plu′ral·ly adv.
Our Living Language In English, plurals of nouns are normally indicated by the ending -s or -es, or in a few cases by -en, as in children and oxen. Some vernacular varieties of English do not use plural endings in measurement phrases such as three mile and ten pound. This zero plural has a long history and was not formerly as socially stigmatized as it is today. It appears in literary works dating from the Middle English period to the present day, including works of dialect writers, such as this example from Mark Twain's Huck Finn: "The nearest white settlement warnt nearer nor four mile." · In adjectival constructions even Standard English has no -s plural: a five-pound box of candy is acceptable, whereas a five-pounds box is not. These adjective phrases derive from an -a suffix in Old English that marked plural adjectives. This ending has long since fallen away, leaving behind the unmarked root forms. · The absence of -s in the plural form of animal names (hunting for bear, a herd of buffalo) probably arose by analogy with animals like deer and sheep whose plurals have been unmarked since the earliest beginnings of the English language. See Note at foot
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
plural
(ˈplʊərəl)adj
1. containing, involving, or composed of more than one person, thing, item, etc: a plural society.
2. (Linguistics) denoting a word indicating that more than one referent is being referred to or described
n
(Grammar) grammar
a. the plural number
b. a plural form
[C14: from Old French plurel, from Late Latin plūrālis concerning many, from Latin plūs more]
ˈplurally adv
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
plu•ral
(ˈplʊər əl)adj.
1. pertaining to or involving more than one.
2. pertaining to or involving a plurality of persons or things.
3. of or belonging to the grammatical category of number used to indicate that a word has more than one referent, as children or them, or in some languages more than two referents, as Old English ge “you.”
n. 4. the plural number.
5. a word or other form in the plural. Abbr.: pl.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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| Noun | 1. | plural - the form of a word that is used to denote more than one relation - (usually plural) mutual dealings or connections among persons or groups; "international relations" flying colors, flying colours - complete success; "they passed inspection with flying colors" wings - a means of flight or ascent; "necessity lends wings to inspiration" ambages - (archaic) roundabout or mysterious ways of action innings - the batting turn of a cricket player or team sweepstakes - a lottery in which the prize consists of the money paid by the participants craps - a gambling game played with two dice; a first throw of 7 or 11 wins and a first throw of 2, 3, or 12 loses and a first throw of any other number must be repeated to win before a 7 is thrown, which loses the bet and the dice Ludi Saeculares, secular games - the centennial rites and games of ancient Rome that marked the commencement of a new generation (100 years representing the longest life in a generation); observances may have begun as early as the 5th century BC and lasted well into the Christian era heroics - ostentatious or vainglorious or extravagant or melodramatic conduct; "heroics are for those epic films they make in Hollywood" deeds, works - performance of moral or religious acts; "salvation by deeds"; "the reward for good works" services - performance of duties or provision of space and equipment helpful to others; "the mayor tried to maintain city services"; "the medical services are excellent" calisthenics, callisthenics - light exercises designed to promote general fitness; "several different calisthenics were illustrated in the video" hustings - the activities involved in political campaigning (especially speech making) arts and crafts - the arts of decorative design and handicraft; "they sponsored arts and crafts in order to encourage craftsmanship in an age of mass production" contretemps - an awkward clash; "he tried to smooth over his contretemps with the policeman" last rites - rites performed in connection with a death or burial devotion - (usually plural) religious observance or prayers (usually spoken silently); "he returned to his devotions" Stations, Stations of the Cross - (Roman Catholic Church) a devotion consisting of fourteen prayers said before a series of fourteen pictures or carvings representing successive incidents during Jesus' passage from Pilate's house to his crucifixion at Calvary round - (often plural) a series of professional calls (usually in a set order); "the doctor goes on his rounds first thing every morning"; "the postman's rounds"; "we enjoyed our round of the local bars" alms - money or goods contributed to the poor operations, trading operations - financial transactions at a brokerage; having to do with the execution of trades and keeping customer records swaddling clothes - restrictions placed on the immature dirty tricks - underhand commercial or political behavior designed to discredit an opponent last respects - the act of expressing respect for someone who has died; "he paid his last respects by standing quietly at the graveside" props - proper respect; "I have to give my props to the governor for the way he handled the problem" appointment, fitting - (usually plural) furnishings and equipment (especially for a ship or hotel) Augean stables - (Greek mythology) the extremely dirty stables that were finally cleaned by Hercules who diverted two rivers through them backstairs - a second staircase at the rear of a building bath salts - a preparation that softens or scents a bath bedspring - (usually plural) one of the springs holding up the mattress of a bed bellbottom pants, bellbottom trousers, bell-bottoms - trousers with legs that flare; worn by sailors; absurdly wide hems were fashionable in the 1960s bellows - a mechanical device that blows a strong current of air; used to make a fire burn more fiercely or to sound a musical instrument Bermuda shorts, Jamaica shorts - short pants that end at the knee bikini pants - small and tight-fitting underpants; worn by women binoculars, field glasses, opera glasses - an optical instrument designed for simultaneous use by both eyes bleachers - an outdoor grandstand without a roof; patrons are exposed to the sun as linens are when they are bleached bloomers, pants, drawers, knickers - underpants worn by women; "she was afraid that her bloomers might have been showing" boards - the boarding that surrounds an ice hockey rink boards - the stage of a theater; "most actors love to stride the boards" bones, castanets, clappers, finger cymbals - a percussion instrument consisting of a pair of hollow pieces of wood or bone (usually held between the thumb and fingers) that are made to click together (as by Spanish dancers) in rhythm with the dance singular, singular form - the form of a word that is used to denote a singleton |
| Adj. | 1. | plural - composed of more than one member, set, or kind singular - composed of one member, set, or kind |
| 2. | plural - grammatical number category referring to two or more items or units singular - grammatical number category referring to a single item or unit |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
جَمْعصيغَة الجَمْع
množné číslomnožný
flertalsformflertal
monikko
množinaplural
többes
fleirtala
複数
복수
pluralis
daugiskaita
daudzskaitlis
množné čísloplurál
množina
pluralpluralisflertal
พหูพจน์
số nhiều
plural
[ˈplʊərəl]Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
plural
adj
(Gram) → Plural-, Mehrzahl-; plural ending → Plural- or Mehrzahlendung f
(= diverse, pluralistic) society, system → pluralistisch
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
plural
(ˈpluərəl) noun, adjective (in) the form of a word which expresses more than one. `Mice' is the plural of `mouse'; a plural noun/verb; Is the verb in the singular or the plural?
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
plural
→ جَمْع množné číslo flertalsform Plural πληθυντικός plural monikko pluriel množina plurale 複数 복수 meervoudsvorm flertallsform liczba mnoga plural множественное число plural พหูพจน์ çoğul số nhiều 复数Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
plural
a. gr. plural, más de uno en número.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012