plural: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
HighNeutral to Formal
Quick answer
What does “plural” mean?
A grammatical form denoting more than one of something.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A grammatical form denoting more than one of something.
Refers to a state of diversity, multiplicity, or composed of more than one kind, group, or set. Can describe a society or system with multiple cultural, ethnic, or religious groups.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in grammatical use. The sociological term 'plural society' is equally used in academic contexts in both regions.
Connotations
Neutral for grammar; can carry positive connotations of inclusivity and diversity in its extended sociological sense.
Frequency
The grammatical term is used with identical high frequency. The extended sociological usage is low-frequency in both regions, confined to specialized discourse.
Grammar
How to Use “plural” in a Sentence
be + plural (e.g., The data are plural)form the plural of + nounin the pluralVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “plural” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- In some dialects, they plural 'you' as 'yous' or 'youse'.
American English
- Linguists study how new words get pluralized, like 'emojis'.
adverb
British English
- (Not standardly used as an adverb)
American English
- (Not standardly used as an adverb)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in 'plural voting' (historical) or discussing demographic data.
Academic
Common in linguistics; also in sociology/political science (plural society, pluralism).
Everyday
Almost exclusively in its grammatical sense when discussing language.
Technical
Core term in grammar and morphology.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “plural”
- Using a plural verb with a singular noun mistakenly called a plural (e.g., 'The news are...' – 'news' is uncountable, not a regular plural).
- Pronouncing it as /plɔ:rəl/.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Traditionally, 'data' is the plural of 'datum' and takes a plural verb (e.g., 'The data are clear'). In modern everyday usage, it is often treated as a mass noun with a singular verb (e.g., 'The data is clear'), especially in IT.
A society composed of distinct cultural, ethnic, or religious groups that maintain their own identities within a single political unit.
If the '-y' is preceded by a consonant, change 'y' to 'i' and add '-es' (e.g., baby -> babies). If preceded by a vowel, just add '-s' (e.g., toy -> toys).
Yes, some nouns like 'trousers', 'scissors', 'glasses' (spectacles), and 'thanks' are almost always used in plural form and take a plural verb.
A grammatical form denoting more than one of something.
Plural is usually neutral to formal in register.
Plural: in British English it is pronounced /ˈplʊə.rəl/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈplʊr.əl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “In the plural: when referring to the plural form or multiple instances.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'plus' more than one – PLUral means MOREral than one.
Conceptual Metaphor
MORE IS UP / DIVERSITY IS A FABRIC (woven from many threads).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'plural' LEAST likely to be used?