Plural of Moose
The Quick Answer
The plural of "moose" is "moose." It is not "mooses" or "meese."The Plural of Moose
The plural of "moose" is "moose."- Unlike most other deer species, moose are solitary animals and do not form herds.
- Moose are excellent swimmers and are known to wade into water to eat aquatic plants.
Moose not Meese
There are no options for the plural of "moose." It is always "moose." Even though the plural of "goose" is "geese," this pattern cannot be followed because "moose" and "goose" have different origins. More specifically, "goose" comes from the Old English word "gos," and "moose" comes from Algonquian (a language of First Nations people based around Canada's Ottawa River valley). In Algonquian, the plural of "moose" is "moose," and both the singular and plural forms were adopted into English. Therefore, adding "-s" in the usual way to make "mooses" is a mistake.Table of Contents
- Are You Good at Plurals?
- The Standard Rules for Forming the Plurals
- Why Is There Confusion over the Plural of Moose?
- Ready for the Test?
Are You Good at Plurals?
Here's a quick test.The Standard Rules for Forming the Plurals
The table below shows the standard rules for forming the plurals of nouns in English.Type | Example of Type | Forming the Plural | Plural |
---|---|---|---|
Most Nouns | cat scythe |
add s | cats scythes |
Noun Ending s, sh, ch, x or z | bus dress |
add es | buses dresses |
Nouns ending [consonant] o | mango zero tomato |
add either s or es (There are no rules for this - you have to know.) |
mangoes or mangos zeros tomatoes |
Nouns ending [vowel] o | patio ratio |
add s | patios ratios |
Nouns ending [consonant] y | story penny |
change the y to an i and add es | stories pennies |
Nouns ending [vowel] y | storey () donkey |
add s | storeys donkeys |
Nouns ending f or fe | dwarf knife |
ves and/or s (There are no rules - you have to know.) |
dwarfs knives |
Exceptions | goose louse |
some nouns undergo a vowel or letters change | geese lice |
More exceptions | salmon moose |
some nouns do not change at all | salmon moose |
Why Is There Confusion over the Plural of Moose?
"Moose" is the only way to make the noun "moose" plural.Confusion arises because "moose" remains unchanged in its plural form. Unfortunately, there is no clever way of knowing which nouns follow which rules. You have to know.
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