What is octopus called plural?
Octopuses ✅ “Octopuses” gives the word an English ending to match its adoption as an English word. Generally, when a noun enters into English, it is pluralized as an English word rather than in its original form. Octopuses may sound peculiar to some, but this is the preferred plural.
What is the plural of octopus Oxford dictionary?
The Oxford English Dictionary lists octopuses, octopi, and octopodes (the order reflecting decreasing frequency of use), stating that the last form is rare. The online Oxford dictionary states that the standard plural is octopuses, that octopodes is still occasionally used, and that octopi is incorrect.
How many ways can octopus be plural?
Both octopuses and octopi are acceptable plurals for octopus. Of the two, octopuses is the simpler and more commonly used. The proposed plural octopodes is based on the plural of the Ancient Greek word from which octopus ultimately derives. But it’s rarely used outside of the octopuses vs.
What is a group of octopus called?
The cephalopods do have eight tentacles and there may be three ways to describe a group of them, but only one is technically correct. Grammatically speaking, the plural for octopus is octopuses. As the Merriam-Webster dictionary points out, people use three different terms, however: octopi, octopuses, and octopodes.
What is a plural form?
The plural form of a word is the form that is used when referring to more than one person or thing. “Data” is the Latin plural form of “datum.” countable noun. The plural of a noun is the form of it that is used to refer to more than one person or thing.
What’s an octopi?
Octopi is the oldest plural of octopus, coming from the belief that words of Latin origin should have Latin endings. Octopuses was the next plural, giving the word an English ending to match its adoption as an English word.
Is the plural of octopus octopodes?
“Octopodes stems from the belief that because octopus is originally Greek, it should have a Greek ending,” says Merriam-Webster. However, the final option, octopuses, is the preferred plural when speaking and writing in English.
Why is octopus plural octopi?
What is the plural of squid?
squid /ˈskwɪd/ noun. plural squid or squids. squid. /ˈskwɪd/ noun.
What is the plural of octopus?
We’ll get into it. The three main plurals for octopus come from the different ways the English language adopts plurals. Octopi is the oldest plural of octopus, coming from the belief that Latin origins should have Latin endings. Octopuses is the next plural, which gives the word an English ending to match its adoption as an English word.
What is the correct way to spell octopus?
Rule of thumb: if English gets the opportunity to trip you up, it will. The current champion in the Battle of Troublesome Pluralization is octopus, which, depending on which dictionary is consulted, may be written in three different ways: octopi, octopuses, and octopodes.
Why does the word octopus have a Latin ending?
“The -i ending comes from the belief that words of Latin origin should have Latin endings in English (while octopus may ultimately come from Greek it had a stay in New Latin before arriving here),” says Merriam-Webster. If you’re thinking, “It has a Latin origin, so why wouldn’t its plural form be in Latin, too?” you’re not alone.
Is the octopus a solitary creature?
(Ironically, the octopus is a solitary creature.) Be the best writer in the office. Let’s start with octopi. Many people don’t like octopi, and you will rarely see it in edited works, but it does occasionally appear.