Plural of Money
The Quick Answer
Typically, "money" is a mass noun. It has no plural form. In law and accounting, money can be a countable noun. Its plural is "moneys" or "monies." (The latter spelling is more common.)The Plural of Money
When used outside the context of law and accounting, "money" is a mass noun. It has no plural form.- All the money in the world can't buy you back good health.
- If you can actually count your money, then you're not a rich man.
Both "monies" and "moneys" are acceptable spellings.
- Voters are tired of using public monies to enrich millionaire sports owners.
- You are investing impressive sums of moneys for reaching your financial goals.
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 | money donkey |
add s | moneys donkeys |
Mass nouns | money rice |
some nouns do not have a plural form |
money rice |
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 | money sheep |
some nouns have their own rules | monies sheep |
Why Is There Confusion over the Plural of Money?
Confusion arises because "money" is typically a mass noun. A mass noun is a noun without a plural form. They refer to items that can't be counted (e.g., rice, milk, chalk).Occasionally, "money" can be countable. This is usually the case in a law or accounting context. The plural is "moneys" or "monies."
"Monies" is more common than "moneys." This is unusual because most nouns that end in –ey take a standard -s plural (e.g., monkeys, chimneys, turkeys). Moneys naturally follows that pattern.
Some critics suggest that "monies" encourages a pronunciation akin to the plural nouns ponies or cronies. Despite this, monies remains the more common spelling.
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