s

1 of 7

noun

ˈes 

plural s's or ss ˈe-səz 

often capitalized, often attributive

1

a

: the 19th letter of the English alphabet

b

: a graphic representation of this letter

c

: a speech counterpart of orthographic s

2

: a graphic device for reproducing the letter s

3

: one designated s especially as the 19th in order or class

4

[abbreviation for satisfactory]

a

: a grade rating a student's work as satisfactory

b

: one graded or rated with an S

5

: something shaped like the letter S

s

2 of 7

abbreviation (1)

1

sabbath

2

saint

3

schilling

4

scruple

5

second; secondary

6

section

7

senate

8

series

9

shilling

10

[Latin signa] label

11

siemens

12

signor

13

sine

14

singular

15

small

16

smooth

17

snow

18

society

19

son

20

sou

21

south; southern

22

strange

23

subject

24

symmetrical

S

3 of 7

abbreviation (2)

1

satisfactory

2

short

3

standard deviation of a sample

4

svedberg

S

4 of 7

symbol

sulfur

-s

5 of 7

plural noun suffix

after a voiceless consonant s,

after a voiced consonant or a vowel z

—used to form the plural of most nouns that do not end in s, z, sh, ch, or postconsonantal y

heads

books

boys

beliefs

, to form the plural of proper nouns that end in postconsonantal y

Marys

, and with or without a preceding apostrophe to form the plural of abbreviations, numbers, letters, and symbols used as nouns

MCs

PhD's

4s

the 1940's

$s

B's

compare -es entry 1

-s

6 of 7

adverb suffix

—used to form adverbs denoting usual or repeated action or state

always at home Sundays

mornings he stops by the newsstand

-s

7 of 7

verb suffix

—used to form the third person singular present of most verbs that do not end in s, z, sh, ch, or postconsonantal y

falls

takes

plays

compare -es entry 2

Examples of s in a Sentence

Noun

a word that starts with an s

a word that starts with s

Word History

Etymology

Plural noun suffix

Middle English -es, -s, from Old English -as, nominative & accusative plural ending of some masculine nouns; akin to Old Saxon -os

Adverb suffix

Middle English -es, -s, plural ending of nouns, from -es, genitive singular ending of nouns (functioning adverbially), from Old English -es

Verb suffix

Middle English (Northern & North Midland dialect) -es, from Old English (Northumbrian dialect) -es, -as, probably from Old English -es, -as, 2nd singular present indicative ending — more at -est

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

s

1 of 4 noun

ˈes

often capitalized

1

: the 19th letter of the English alphabet

2

: a grade rating a student's work as satisfactory

-s

2 of 4 noun plural suffix

s,

 after a voiceless consonant sound,  z,

 after a voiced consonant sound or a vowel sound 

—used to form the plural of most nouns that do not end in s, z, sh, or ch or in y following a consonant

heads

books

boys

beliefs

, to form the plural of proper nouns that end in y following a consonant

Marys

, and with or without a preceding apostrophe to form the plural of abbreviations, numbers, letters, and symbols used as nouns

MCs

4s

#s

B's

-s

3 of 4 adverb suffix

—used to form adverbs indicating usual or repeated action or state

at home Sundays

shops mornings

-s

4 of 4 verb suffix

—used to form the third person singular present of most verbs that do not end in s, z, sh, or ch or in y following a consonant

falls

takes

plays

Etymology

Noun plural suffix

derived from Old English -as, an ending on plural nouns

Medical Definition

S

1 of 2 abbreviation

1

sacral

—used especially with a number from 1 to 5 to indicate a vertebra or segment of the spinal cord in the sacral region

the relative length of cord segments S1 to S5

2

signa

—used to introduce the signature in writing a prescription

3

smooth

—used of bacterial colonies

4

subject

5

svedberg

S

2 of 2 symbol

sulfur