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Plural of Dictionary
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The Quick Answer
The plural of dictionary is dictionaries.The Plural of Dictionary
The plural of dictionary is dictionaries.- Spellings are made by people. Dictionaries - eventually - reflect popular choices.
- People are under the impression that dictionaries legislate language. What a dictionary does is keep track of usages over time.
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 | bus dress |
add es | buses 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 | dictionary penny |
change the y to an i and add es | dictionaries pennies |
| Nouns ending [vowel] y | journey donkey
|
add s | journeys donkeys |
| 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 |
Why Is There Confusion over the Plural of Dictionary?
Dictionaries is the only way to make the noun dictionary plural.Confusion arises because people mistakenly believe that only an s needs to be added (like with donkeys). However, when a noun ends with [consonant] + y, you need to change the y to an i and add es to form the plural.
Another Interactive Exercise
Here are three randomly selected questions from another exercise on plurals, which can be edited, printed to create an exercise worksheet, or sent via email to friends or students.- Do you disagree with something on this page?
- Did you spot a typo?