What is the plural of 'mouse' on a computer?

Mice or Mouses

Here are opinions and input:

Ow! Ow! There are mouses in the houses! The debate continues………………………….. The English language has not caught up to the 21^st century and the fight goes on until someone finally settles it once and forever. You have a computer mouse. If you have two computers with one mouse each, then you would have two computer "somethings", each serving as a mouse. What do you call them when speaking of the two of them?

Mice? Some say yes (42% in a recent poll, I think), but this word was coined for an animal, not an object, so is it appropriate? I think not, as it could be confused in certain sentences and create havoc in certain situations (i.e. "We have mice in this room." "Yikes, really??!!!").

Mouses, then, just adding an "s", how about that?? Let's face it, it just sounds wrong. It sounds okay with something like horses, but mouses??? Nope, it just doesn't cut it.

I propose a completely new word for this completely new situation. Like so many other "exception" words in our language, it is spelled the same as the singular version of the same word, but when "s" is added, its pronunciation is slightly varied. Think of the word house and then its plural houses, with the "z" sounds at the end. Now think of more than one computer mouse as mouses. Yes, it's new and would take getting used to but hey, it's the 21^st century and we could use a new word now and then. Besides, technology is changing our language constantly whether we want it to or not. A hard drive used to mean fifteen hours in a car, memory never used to be in a stick, a desktop was where you put your pencil sharpener, and a mouse was an unwanted visitor you caught in a trap.

If we can all agree to say "mouses" (with the "z's"), we'll all know what we are talking about without confusion. However, as I look back over this writing at the red squigley lines underneath "mouses", I realize somebody will have to fix Spell-Check!!!! J

• According to the PC Dictionary it is "mice." For your reference: PC Dictionary. However it has also been said that because it is a name it is "mouses."

• Without a doubt the plural of computer mouse is: MOUSES

• MOUSE is an acronym, and is short for Manually-Operated User-Selection Equipment so technically MOUSE is already the plural (... Equipments?) Most people, however pluralise acronyms, and initials in general, by adding a small s, so it would be MOUSEs, which seems a bit silly. Mice is also wrong, as it doesn't stand for anything, but it does make more grammatical sense than calling them MOUSE or MOUSEs. (NB: If a MOUSE was so called because it looked like the animal, then mice would be correct, but that isn't the case, although small body, long tail, who knows...)

• It's definitely "mouses". See: http://www.saugus.net/Computer/Terms/mouse/view

• If in doubt use "pointing devices" (although the term may be a bit too general) :-)

• I have been involved with computers since 1985 and have always used "mice" when referring to more than one of them.

Mice or Mouses

Unless you want to look like a smart ass, i suggest saying "mice"

Mice or Mouses

I worked at a school and all the english teachers in the school said it is Mouses when you are talking about the plural computer mouse.

Mice or Mouses

The plural of mouse (small furry creature) is mice, so one might think that the plural of the pointing device would also be mice. However, the two words have undergone a differentiation through usage. According to Garner's Modern American Usage best practice is to pluralize it mouses. That also goes for timid people ("When it comes to warfare, he's a real mouse. In fact, he comes from a long line of mouses"). Similarly, whereas the plural of louse, the small wingless insect, is lice, the plural of louse, the cad, is louses.

Mice or Mouses

"MOUSE is an acronym, and is short for Manually-Operated User-Selection Equipment so technically MOUSE is already the plural (... Equipments?) Most people, however pluralise acronyms, and initials in general, by adding a small s, so it would be MOUSEs..."

Its actually a backronym. The pointing device first developed, later called a mouse, was named that because of the cord coming out of the back of the device. This resembled a mouse (round body, skinny wire/tail). The mouse was later changed to have the cord from the front of the device.

First answer by Baldmosher. Last edit by RavehDaveh. Contributor trust: 0 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 73 [recommend question]