amoebas
The plural of "amoeba" is amoebas. amoebae is also used.
Meaning: a tiny single-celled living thing that changes shape (noun)
Ways to say it
| Plural |
|---|
| amoebas |
| amoebae |
Most English nouns form the plural by adding -s, and amoeba follows this rule.
Which one should you use?
Both plurals are correct. amoebas is more common in everyday English, while amoebae is the traditional Latin form used in science.
How does it change in a sentence?
Use a plural verb with amoebas: the amoebas are. The possessive plural adds only an apostrophe: amoebas'.
How do you pronounce it?
amoeba is pronounced /əˈmiːbə/. The plural ending sounds like /z/.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use an apostrophe to make a plural. amoebas means more than one, while an apostrophe shows that something belongs to someone.
Did you know?
- The spoken plural ending has three sounds: /s/ after sounds like p, t and k, /ɪz/ after hissing sounds like s and ch and /z/ everywhere else.
Examples in context
- We looked at amoebas under the microscope.Singular: We looked at an amoeba under the microscope.
- Amoebae live in water and wet soil.Singular: An amoeba lives in water and wet soil.
