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Plural of Jellyfish
The Quick Answer
The plural of "jellyfish" is "jellyfish" or "jellyfishes." (If you're talking about the number of jellyfish (possibly of the same type), use "jellyfish." If you're talking about the number of different types, use "jellyfishes.")The Plural of Jellyfish
The first thing to note about "jellyfish" is that it is one word, not two. Forming the plural of "jellyfish" follows the same rules as for fish, which can be "fish" or "fishes." Similarly, the plural of "jellyfish" is "jellyfish" or "jellyfishes."- There are five jellyfish in the tank.
- The aquarium has five jellyfishes at the moment.
Table of Contents
- Are You Good at Plurals?
- The Standard Rules for Forming the Plurals
- Why Is There Confusion over the Plural of Jellyfish?
- 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 | ![]() ![]() |
add s | ![]() ![]() |
Noun Ending s, sh, ch, x or z | ![]() ![]() |
add es | ![]() ![]() |
Nouns ending [consonant] o | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
add either s or es (There are no rules for this - you have to know.) |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
Nouns ending [vowel] o | ![]() ![]() |
add s | ![]() ![]() |
Nouns ending [consonant] y | ![]() ![]() |
change the y to an i and add es | ![]() ![]() |
Nouns ending [vowel] y | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
add s | ![]() ![]() |
Nouns ending f or fe | ![]() ![]() |
ves and/or s (There are no rules - you have to know.) |
![]() ![]() |
Exceptions | ![]() ![]() |
some nouns undergo a vowel or letters change | ![]() ![]() |
More exceptions | ![]() ![]() |
some nouns do not change at all | ![]() ![]() |
Why Is There Confusion over the Plural of Jellyfish?
Confusion arises because people encounter both "jellyfish" and "jellyfishes" but fail to recognize the context in which each word is used. Remember that it is the same as for "fish."
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