Latin and Greek endings / plurals

singular words ending in -us USUALLY Latin masculine singular second declension plural -i N.B. ius becomes ii e.g. radii SOMETIMES Latin neuter lural !era e.g. l. genus = genera" l. opus = opera N.B. irregular lural o# femur = femora

words ending in -tus

In Latin t$e %u& was lengt$ened" but t$is does not $a en in Englis$ N.B. the plural of virus is viruses, not virii! T$e lural o# virus is not #ound in classical Latin The plural of octopus is octopods: 'ree( -pous, -podos $as lural -podes words ending in um Latin neuter singular -a e.g. l. datum" bacterium ) data, bacteria stadium = stadia stratum = strata curriculum = curricula forum = fora *forums also used+ referendum = referenda *referendums also used+ vacuum = vacua continuum = continua spectrum = spectra

Latin masculine singular #ourt$ declension e.g. status, apparatus

-tus

words ending in on words ending in -is

'ree( neuter singular Latin or 'ree( singular *masculine or #eminine+

-a e.g l. criterion ) criteria, decathlon = decathla -es e.g. l. pelvis = pelves crisis = crises

'ree( singular *masculine or #eminine+

-ides or ids e.g. l. mantis = mantids" l. arthritis = arthritides

words ending in -a words ending in a N.B. lural #orm is o#ten misused w$ere singular is re.uired

EIT,EO-

singular Latin #eminine singular Latin or 'ree( neuter lural bacteria flagella data criteria strata

plural lural ends in -ae e.g. l. formula = formulae formulas also seen *U.S.+ singular ends in um *Latin+ or on *'ree(+ bacterium flagellum datum criterion stratum lural ends in ata stigmata traumata traumas also used! schemata *but lural not used in IT /"#$ schema0 o#ten #ound+ miasmata myomata

words ending in -ma

O-

'ree( neuter singular stigma trauma schema miasma medical words ending in -oma" e.g. myoma