Plurals Archives | Page 2 of 7

Ignoramus

An ignoramus is a word for a person without any intelligence, an extremely dumb individual. It is a pejorative term meant to be an insult. The plural is ignoramuses. Some dictionaries list ignorami as a variation of the plural, but this is a backformation by those who suppose since ignoramus comes from Latin that it would have the Latin –i plural. However, in the original Latin, ignoramus was a verb, not a noun, and would still have the -es plural. Originally it was as an expression of “we …

Calumny

by Grammarist

A calumny is a lie about a person told to ruin their character. It is also the name of the act of lying about someone. It is synonymous with slander. Though when someone is falsely accused of a crime, calumny is a more appropriate word. Its plural is calumnies. It also makes the adjective calumnious, the adverb caluminously, and the verb caluminate. The verb form appears as caluminated and calumniating, and makes the noun calumniation. One can also be a caluminator. Examples The Head of Muslims in Nigeria and the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji …

News

by Grammarist

News is a mass noun which means information that is just received or significant somehow. It is also an adjective used to describe things and people which find information to share with others. It has no plural form. One could count items of news or news sources, but not news itself. News has a quite few derivatives, such as, newspaper, newscast, newsperson, newsworthy, newshound, newshawk, newsmagazine, newsletter, newsmonger, and the adjective newsless. A newshound or newshawk is a particularly energetic and enthusiastic reporter, while a newsmonger is more of a gossip. A person who …

Youth or youths

by Grammarist

Youth is the age range when a human is young, or before the person reaches adulthood. The word youth can also be used to describe a group of young people, regardless of age. It is also a common adjective for things that are created specifically for youth. Something can be in its youth if it is newly created. A youth is also a teenage boy or young man. Only this last definition has a plural form of youths. All other uses of the word are already plural or …

Letter Names in the English Alphabet and How to Spell Them

by Grammarist

Each letter of the English alphabet can be spelled as itself (e.g., a DJ or T-shirt), or it can be spelled out using its name (e.g., a deejay or tee-shirt). Vowels still stand for themselves, and while very rare, the plural of vowels are made by adding -es. In the capitalized form, the plurals are made by either -s or -‘s (e.g., L’s or As). Letters also have a specific sound associated with them, and not only can you spell …

Thesauri or thesaurusus

by Grammarist

A thesaurus is a reference which allows a person to look up synonyms, and sometimes antonyms, for words or phrases. It comes from the Greek thēsauros, which meant a treasury. The adverbial derivative is thesaural. As with other word that have stayed largely unchanged from their origin in Greek or Latin, the Latin pluralization is correct, thesauri. However, as with other words that have been adopted into the English language for centuries, the English pluralization is also correct, thesauruses. The actual use of each plural seems to …

Addenda vs. Addendums – What’s the Difference?

by Grammarist

You noticed an error in your newly published article, and you want to edit it. Should you say addendum or addenda? Addenda is the plural of addendum which means a note at the end of an article. I’ll help you learn when to use addendum and addenda. You’ll also know whether addendums is correct or not, and some sentence examples. Is it Addenda or Addendum? An addendum is an additional item, usually to a document or book. Commonly it includes …

Matrix

by Grammarist

Matrix has many meanings. It can be a pattern created by lines crossing to make spaces. It can be a surrounding structure in which something develops. This can be a set of conditions, a situation, or an actual structure. A matrix is also a diagram showing the line of command in an organization. Another definition of matrix is a mold in which something is cast. In Mathematics it is chart of values that is treated as one entity and has certain rules. The plural form …

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Cause Célèbre – Meaning & Examples

by Candace Osmond

Cause célèbre isn’t a term you hear often used in everyday conversation. I’ve really only ever seen it within the context of a powerful new story. But it’s a phrase that can be applied to anything popular or high profile, like a murder case or celebrity gossip. Let’s take a closer peek at the meaning behind cause célèbre so you can use it, too. What Is the Meaning of Cause Célèbre? It sounds like a fancy term, but it really …

Moose vs. mooses

by Grammarist

A moose is a large animal with antlers that is found in the northern forests of America, Europe, and Asia. It is of the deer family. The plural form is moose, not mooses or meese. Though Mooses is a surname. Nouns like moose and sheep, which do not change from their singular to plural form, are called invariants. They fall in the category of irregular plurals. Note: Invariant is not a grammatical term and can have a wider meaning. For terms like glasses and pants, which do not …

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