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Because the (Greek) word "octopus" appears to be of the Latin form -us, it has acquired the informal plural octopi, but the normal English rule suggests octopuses, as with the words bus, virus, and campus. Most dictionaries list both. Another word that has acquired a commonly used I plural is "cacti."

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12y ago
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11y ago

Both forms are accepted as the plural of "octopus". "Octopuses" is perhaps the more common term used though.

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Q: Is the plural of octopus octopi or octopuses?
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Pluraul noun for octopus?

Octopuses. (the plural form of octopi is not correct)


How do you make octopus plural?

It could be octopuses or octopi


Do octopuses have bacbones?

No at least I think octopi have no skeletons/the plural for octopus is octopi


What's the plural for octopus?

octopuses "Octopuses" or "Octopi" or "Octopodes", according to wiktionary.


Is the word octopi a singular or plural?

The word 'octopi' is the plural form of the noun 'octopus'.The alternate plural form 'octopuses' is also generally accepted.


Is octopi plural for octopus?

The word "octopus's" is a singular possessive noun, a word for one octopus that shows something in the sentence belongs to that octopus.Example: The octopus's color changed to blend into its background.There are two accepted forms for the plural of octopus:octopi (possessive form octopi's)octopuses (possessive form octopuses')Examples: The octopi's tank contained four octopi.The octopuses' tank contained four octopuses.


What are the two plural forms of the noun octopus?

Octopi and octopuses are both accepted plural forms for the singular octopus.


What is the possessive of octopus?

Octopuses or octopodes. The Anglicized (and most common) plural form of octopus is octopuses. Although it is often supposed that octopi is the 'correct' plural of octopus, and it has been in use for longer than the usual Anglicized plural octopuses, it in fact originates as an error. Octopus is not a simple Latin word of the second declension, but a Latinized form of the Greek word oktopous, and its 'correct' plural would logically be octopodes.


Is octopuses a plural noun?

Dictionaries now show both octopuses and octopi as the plural for octopus. In fact, when I spell checked this answer, the word octopi was highlighted for misspelling, the word octopuses was not. Either is correct.


What is the plural form of the noun octopus?

The plural form of octopus is octopuses (or occasionally octopodes). Although it is often supposed that octopi is the 'correct' plural of octopus, and it has been in use for longer than the usual Anglicized plural octopuses, it in fact originates as an error. Octopus is not a simple Latin word of the second declension, but a Latinized form of the Greek word oktopous, and its 'correct' plural would logically be octopodes.Most dictionaries will list both octopuses and octopi as correct plurals.


Where do mimic octopi live?

Please note that the plural of 'octopus' is not 'octopi'. It is 'octopuses', or if you want to be really pedantic, it's 'octopodes'.


Is the plural of octopus?

The plural form of octopus is octopuses (or occasionally octopodes). Although it is often supposed that octopi is the 'correct' plural of octopus, and it has been in use for longer than the usual Anglicized plural octopuses, it in fact originates as an error. Octopus is not a simple Latin word of the second declension, but a Latinized form of the Greek word oktopous, and its 'correct' plural would logically be octopodes.Most dictionaries will list both octopuses and octopi as correct plurals.