PLURAL-izing

PLURAL-izing by Karen Gertz

I think we can all benefit from a periodic review of how to make plural words from Latin- or Greek-based medical terms. Remember, it’s not as simple as the English way of adding an s, es, or dropping the y and adding ies (though our irregular plurals do complicate the matter). Dorland’s gives both English and Latin/Greek plurals for some words, e.g., the plural of appendix can be appendixes (English) or appendices (Latin).

The rules for forming the plural from Greek or Latin words are listed below. Following the chart is an exercise for your review. NOTE: In the examples below, where Dorland’s 27th edition gives both the English and Latin/Greek plural, I have indicated the English plural in parentheses.

Singular Ending	Plural Ending	Rule	Example
a	ae	Add e (watch out for those ending in ma!)	vertebra/vertebrae
ma	mata	Add ta	stoma/stomata (stomas)
ax, ix	ces	Drop the x and add ces	thorax/thoraces varix/varices
ex	ices	Drop the ex and add ices	apex/apices (apexes)
nx	ges	Drop the x and add ces	phalanx/phalanges
yx	ces	Drop the x and add ces	calyx/calyces
en	ina	Drop the en and add ina	foramen/foramina
on	a	Drop the on and add a	ganglion/ganglia (ganglions)
um	a	Drop the um and add a	datum/data
is	es, ides	Drop the is and add es or ides	diagnosis/diagnoses iris/irides
us	i	Drop the us and add i	bronchus/bronchi
y	ies	Drop the y and add ies	deformity/deformities

Now, let's see how you do. (Answers below.)

1. ampulla______________________

2. stigma_______________________

3. lumen________________________

4. index________________________

5. embolus______________________

6. diverticulum___________________

7. phenomenon__________________

8. prognosis_____________________

9. cervix________________________

10. larynx_______________________

11. delivery______________________

There are a few irregular plurals in medical terms, such as:

cornu/cornua

corpus/corpora

femur/femora

meatus/meatus

os/ora (mouths)

os/ossa (bones)

paries/parietes

plexus/plexuses

pons/pontes

vas/vasa

viscus/viscera

Plural-izing Answer Key

ampullae

stigmata (stigmas)

lumina

indices (indexes)

emboli

diverticula

phenomena

prognoses

cervices

larynges

deliveries

References

The AAMT Book of Style for Medical Transcription, American Association for Medical Transcription: Modesto, CA 1995.

Dorland’s Illustrated Medical Dictionary, 27th ed. WB Saunders Company: Philadelphia, 1985.

Medical Typing and Transcribing: Techniques and Procedures, 3rd ed. WB Saunders Company: Philadelphia, 1979.

The Medical Transcriptionist’s Handbook, South-Western Publishing Company: Cincinnati, 1993.

Terminology for Allied Health Professionals, 2nd ed. South-Western Publishing Company: Cincinnati, 1990.

Medical Terminology, A Systems Approach, 2nd ed. FA Davis Company:

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