poleis
The plural of "polis" is poleis.
poleis is an irregular plural. It does not follow the usual -s rule.
Meaning: a city-state in ancient Greece (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
Use a plural verb with poleis: the poleis are. The possessive plural adds only an apostrophe: poleis'.
How do you pronounce it?
polis is pronounced /ˈpɒ.lɪs/.
What mistakes should you avoid?
poleis is the Greek plural used by historians. polises is rare.
Did you know?
- Plurals like mice, geese and feet change their vowel instead of adding an ending. Linguists call this mutation, and it goes back to early Germanic.
Examples in context
- Athens and Sparta were the best-known poleis.Singular: Athens and Sparta were the best-known polis.
- Each polis had its own laws.Singular: The polis had its own laws.
