Plural of Moose

by Craig Shrives

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. correct tick
  • Moose are excellent swimmers and are known to wade into water to eat aquatic plants. correct tick

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?
plural of moose

Are You Good at Plurals?

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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 (small British flag)
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
Read more about English spelling rules.

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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