octopuses
The plural of "octopus" is octopuses.
Nouns that end in s, x, z, ch or sh add -es to make the plural, so octopus becomes octopuses.
Meaning: a sea animal with eight arms (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
Use a plural verb with octopuses: the octopuses are. The possessive plural adds only an apostrophe: octopuses'.
How do you pronounce it?
octopus is pronounced /ˈɒktəpʊs/. The plural ending sounds like /ɪz/, so the plural has one more syllable than the singular.
What mistakes should you avoid?
octopuses is the standard English plural. octopi is common too, but it is based on a mistaken Latin ending, because the word comes from Greek. octopodes is the rare Greek plural.
Did you know?
- The e in -es makes the plural easier to say after a hissing sound. It adds a syllable: box has one syllable and boxes has two.
Examples in context
- Octopuses are very clever.Singular: An octopus is very clever.
- We saw two octopuses at the aquarium.Singular: We saw an octopus at the aquarium.
