Plural of Nucleus
The Quick Answer
The plural of "nucleus" is "nuclei."The Plural of Nucleus
The plural of "nucleus" is "nuclei." The alternative plural "nucleuses" is extremely rare but still acceptable.- Cell nuclei contain most of the cell's genetic material.
- Some eukaryotic cell types have no nuclei.
- Some cell types have many nucleuses.
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 | lamp scythe |
add s | lamps scythes |
Noun Ending s, sh, ch, x or z | nucleus dress |
add es | nucleuses dresses |
Nouns ending [consonant] o | hero zero tomato |
add either s or es (There are no rules for this - you have to know.) |
heroes 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 | donkey chimney |
add s | donkeys chimneys |
Nouns ending f or fe | dwarf hoof |
ves and/or s (There are no rules - you have to know.) |
dwarfs hooves or hoofs |
Exceptions | man louse |
some nouns undergo a vowel or letters change | men lice |
More exceptions | salmon sheep |
some nouns do not change at all | salmon sheep |
Foreign rulings | nucleus medium |
some nouns adopt foreign rulings | nuclei media |
Why Is There Confusion over the Plural of Nucleus?
Confusion arises over the plural of "nucleus" because its original plural form ("nuclei") derives from Latin and native English speakers are drawn to "nucleuses," which adheres to the standard ruling for forming plurals."Nuclei" is by far the more common plural of the two. (See the difference in Google's Ngram Viewer.)
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