What is the plural form of the noun octopus?

Answer 1

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.

Answer 2

The plural of Octopus is Octopuses. Octopodes is also acceptable but rarely used. The common misconception that the plural is octopi comes from the incorrect assumption that Octopus is a Latin word, it is in fact Greek.

According to the authoritative Oxford English Dictionary, "the standard plural in English of octopus is octopuses. However , the word octopus comes from Greek and the Greek plural form octopodes is still occasionally used . The plural form octopi, formed according to rules for some Latin plurals, is incorrect"

Answer 3

Before determining what the plural possessive form of "octopus" is, one must decide on which plural form to use.

Many people incorrectly believe that the plural form of "octopus" is "octopi," due to the word ending in -us. However, that pluralization is only applicable to Latin words, and "octopus" is, in fact, Greek. The Greek pluralization of the word is "octopodes" (pronounced ock-TOP-oh-deeze.) However, because the word has been Americanized, it is perfectly acceptable to say that the plural form is "octopuses."

With that in mind, all English plurals ending in "s" form the possessive by adding an apostrophe at the end. That would mean that the plural possessive forms of octopuses, octopi and octopodes are octoposes', octopis' and octopodes' respectively.

Answer 4

The plural form of octopus is octopuses or octopi; both forms are accepted.

Answer 5

octopuses

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

Answer 6

The correct plural is octopi, but octopuses is more frequently used.

Answer 7

Octopi

Answer 8

octopi

Answer 9

octopi