Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Relating to or composed of more than one member, set, or kind.
  • adjective Grammar Of or being a grammatical form that designates more than one of the things specified.
  • noun The plural number or form.
  • noun A word or term in the plural form.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Containing more than one; consisting of two or more, or designating two or more.
  • Specifically In grammar, noting the form of a word (primarily of a noun or pronoun, then of an adjective qualifying it, and finally of a verb of which it is subject) which marks it as signifying or relating to more than one, as distinguished from singular, signifying only one; in some languages, which have a dual form for two, signifying more than two: thus, boys is the plural number of boy, men of man, we of I, these of this, are of is, and were of was.
  • noun The state of being manifold or more than one.
  • noun That form of a word which expresses plurality, or the plural number.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Gram.) The plural number; that form of a word which expresses or denotes more than one; a word in the plural form.
  • adjective Relating to, or containing, more than one; designating two or more.
  • adjective (Gram.) the number which designates more than one. See Number, n., 8.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Consisting of or containing more than one of something.
  • adjective comparable Pluralistic.
  • noun grammar : a word in the form in which it potentially refers to something other than one person or thing; and other than two things if the language has a dual form.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective grammatical number category referring to two or more items or units
  • adjective composed of more than one member, set, or kind
  • noun the form of a word that is used to denote more than one

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English plurel, from Old French, from Latin plūrālis, from plūs, plūr-, more; see pelə- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English plurelle, from Old French plurel ("plural"), from Latin pluralis ("of or belonging to more than one, belonging to many", adjective), from plus, pluris ("more") + -alis.

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Examples

  • Bagel (like fish, the plural is the same as the singular, and sometimes preceded by the word "the")

    Family Brunch - Jewish Style aka TBTAM 2009

  • The folksy presentation using the plural is a nod-wink meant to suggest habitual behaviour, potential danger, hidden agenda/background, but there is no code or nexus or intimation or subtextual message whatsoever relating to violence.

    What Sarah Palin Is Saying - Anil Dash 2008

  • It turns out, schlägen is the German word plural, I think for strike, hit or impact.

    intoxicating, in any language... 2006

  • It turns out, schlägen is the German word plural, I think for strike, hit or impact.

    Archive 2006-05-01 2006

  • No one knows how many fundamentalist Mormons live like the Browns; scholars estimate between 30,000 and 50,000 people live in plural marriages, mainly in Utah and other Rocky Mountain states.

    'Sister Wives' Features A Lot Of Wives But Little Faith Clay Chiles 2010

  • No one knows how many fundamentalist Mormons live like the Browns; scholars estimate between 30,000 and 50,000 people live in plural marriages, mainly in Utah and other Rocky Mountain states.

    'Sister Wives' Features A Lot Of Wives But Little Faith Clay Chiles 2010

  • Actually, most strains of Mormonism to this day believe in plural marriage.

    Matthew Yglesias » Beck vs Social Justice 2010

  • The laws of most western countries state that a polygamous union is illegal and will prosecute against those who are in plural marriages, yet the practice persists.

    Kristen Houghton: Happiness Is ... Polygamy? Kristen Houghton 2010

  • Where the words are singular, to make them plural is the mark of unlooked-for passion; and where they are plural, the rounding of a number of things into a fine-sounding singular is surprising owing to the converse change.

    On the Sublime Hal Duncan 2010

  • No one knows how many fundamentalist Mormons live like the Browns; scholars estimate between 30,000 and 50,000 people live in plural marriages, mainly in Utah and other Rocky Mountain states.

    'Sister Wives' Features A Lot Of Wives But Little Faith The Huffington Post News Team 2010

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