plural

adjective

plu·​ral ˈplu̇r-əl 

1

: of, relating to, or constituting a class of grammatical forms usually used to denote more than one or in some languages more than two

2

: relating to, consisting of, or containing more than one or more than one kind or class

a plural society

plural noun

plurally

ˈplu̇r-ə-lē 

adverb

Examples of plural in a Sentence

The word “trees” is a plural noun.

The plural form of the word “child” is “children.”

a plural verb such as “are” or “were” rather than a singular verb such as “is” or “was”

Recent Examples on the Web

Today’s Strands Hints Today’s Theme: Find your people Hint #1: Think plural. —Erik Kain, Forbes, 5 Dec. 2024

At times, the voice shifts fluidly from masculine to feminine and becomes suggestively plural. —Steve Dollar, Los Angeles Times, 2 Dec. 2024

This speech seems a lot more in the first person plural than the 2016 version. —The New Yorker, 5 Nov. 2024

To propose a plural fate for modernity in the non-Western world is not to suggest that the trajectory of politicized caste, ethnicity, and religion in India or elsewhere leads inevitably to the universal affluence dreamed of by socialists in the past and flat-earth globalizers in the present. —Pankaj Mishra, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2013

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French plurel, from Latin pluralis, from plur-, plus more — more at plus

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing plural

• plural marriage

Kids Definition

plural

1 of 2 adjective

plu·​ral

ˈplu̇r-əl

: of, relating to, or being a word form used to indicate more than one

plural nouns

plurally

-ə-lē

adverb

plural

2 of 2 noun

: a form of a word used to show that more than one person or thing is meant