plural

American  

[ploor-uhl] / ˈplʊər əl /

adjective

1. consisting of, containing, or pertaining to more than one.

2. pertaining to or involving a plurality of persons or things.

3. being one of such a plurality.

4. Grammar. noting or pertaining to a member of the category of number, found in many languages, indicating that a word has more than one referent, as in English men, or more than two referents, as in Old English ge, meaning “you.”

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noun

Grammar.

1. the plural number.

2. a form in the plural.

plural British  

/ ˈplʊərəl /

adjective

1. containing, involving, or composed of more than one person, thing, item, etc

   a plural society

2. denoting a word indicating that more than one referent is being referred to or described

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noun

1. grammar

   1. the plural number

   2. a plural form

plural Cultural  

1. The grammatical category in nouns, pronouns, and verbs that refers to more than one thing. Most nouns become plural with the addition of -s or -es: hats, chairs, dishes, countries, and so on. Some nouns form the plural in other ways, as in children, feet, geese, and women. (Compare singular; see agreement.)

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Usage

What does plural mean? In grammar, a plural is a noun that refers to more than one. For example, the noun cats is the plural of the noun cat and means more than one cat.Plural also describes something that consists of, contains, or relates to more than one of something, as in A plural society is made up of more than one cultural group in which everyone practices their own culture.Example: The plural form of ox is oxen.

Other Word Forms

• plurally adverb

Etymology

Origin of plural

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin plūrālis, equivalent to plūr-, stem of plūs plus + -alis -al ¹

Example Sentences

He did say the company had a “tenant pipeline” that has strengthened since February, and expects to “execute binding tenant agreements” — plural — over the next 12 months.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 30, 2026

Technical challenges have made some cities reluctant to recognize plural domestic partnerships, according to a paper Tweedy published last year.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026

Then "grünen" indicates that the noun will be plural and green in color.

From Science Daily • Feb. 20, 2026

Antisemitism corrodes the civic foundations on which plural societies depend.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 14, 2025

But it’s occasionally used as a plural to refer to the individual kinds of communication.

From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner