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Foreign singulars with irregular plurals 56 words

March 11, 2010 By Sarah L.
nouns retaining their original foreign plurals.
Nouns ending in:
-us with plural -a/-i
-um with plural -a
-ex, -ix becoming plural -ices
-is becoming -es
-on becoming -a
Note that some of these have adapted a regular English plural form as well.

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Definitions Notes & Examples Words Only
  1. alga
    primitive chlorophyll-containing mainly aquatic eukaryotic organisms lacking true stems and roots and leaves
  2. amoeba
    naked freshwater or marine or parasitic protozoa that form temporary pseudopods for feeding and locomotion
  3. antenna
    one of a pair of mobile appendages on the head of e.g. insects and crustaceans; typically sensitive to touch and taste
  4. formula
    a group of symbols that make a mathematical statement
  5. larva
    the immature free-living form of most invertebrates and amphibians and fish which at hatching from the egg is fundamentally unlike its parent and must metamorphose
  6. nebula
    an immense cloud of gas (mainly hydrogen) and dust in interstellar space
  7. vertebra
    one of the bony segments of the spinal column
  8. corpus
    a collection of writings
  9. genus
    (biology) taxonomic group containing one or more species
  10. bacillus
    aerobic rod-shaped spore-producing bacterium; often occurring in chainlike formations; found primarily in soil
  11. cactus
    any succulent plant of the family Cactaceae native chiefly to arid regions of the New World and usually having spines
  12. focus
    the concentration of attention or energy on something
  13. fungus
    an organism of the kingdom Fungi lacking chlorophyll and feeding on organic matter; ranging from unicellular or multicellular organisms to spore-bearing syncytia
  14. nucleus
    a part of the cell containing DNA and RNA and responsible for growth and reproduction
  15. octopus
    bottom-living cephalopod having a soft oval body with eight long tentacles
  16. radius
    a straight line from the center to the perimeter of a circle (or from the center to the surface of a sphere)
  17. stimulus
    any stimulating information or event; acts to arouse action
  18. syllabus
    an integrated course of academic studies
  19. terminus
    a place where something ends or is complete
  20. addendum
    textual matter that is added onto a publication; usually at the end
  21. bacterium
    (microbiology) single-celled or noncellular spherical or spiral or rod-shaped organisms lacking chlorophyll that reproduce by fission; important as pathogens and for biochemical properties; taxonomy is difficult; often considered to be plants
  22. curriculum
    an integrated course of academic studies
  23. datum
    an item of factual information derived from measurement or research
  24. erratum
    a mistake in printed matter resulting from mechanical failures of some kind
  25. medium
    the surrounding environment
  26. memorandum
    a written proposal or reminder
  27. ovum
    the female reproductive cell; the female gamete
  28. stratum
    one of several parallel layers of material arranged one on top of another (such as a layer of tissue or cells in an organism or a layer of sedimentary rock)
  29. symposium
    a meeting or conference for the public discussion of some topic especially one in which the participants form an audience and make presentations
  30. apex
    the highest point (of something)
  31. appendix
    a vestigial process that extends from the lower end of the cecum and that resembles a small pouch
  32. cervix
    the part of an organism (human or animal) that connects the head to the rest of the body
  33. index
    an alphabetical listing of names and topics along with page numbers where they are discussed
  34. matrix
    an enclosure within which something originates or develops (from the Latin for womb)
  35. vortex
    a powerful circular current of water (usually the result of conflicting tides)
  36. criterion
    the ideal in terms of which something can be judged
  37. phenomenon
    any state or process known through the senses rather than by intuition or reasoning
  38. automaton
    a mechanism that can move automatically
  39. analysis
    the abstract separation of a whole into its constituent parts in order to study the parts and their relations
  40. axis
    a straight line through a body or figure that satisfies certain conditions
  41. basis
    the fundamental assumptions from which something is begun or developed or calculated or explained
  42. crisis
    a crucial stage or turning point in the course of something
  43. diagnosis
    identifying the nature or cause of some phenomenon
  44. emphasis
    intensity or forcefulness of expression
  45. hypothesis
    a tentative insight into the natural world; a concept that is not yet verified but that if true would explain certain facts or phenomena
  46. neurosis
    a mental or personality disturbance not attributable to any known neurological or organic dysfunction
  47. oasis
    a shelter serving as a place of safety or sanctuary
  48. parenthesis
    either of two punctuation marks (or) used to enclose textual material
  49. synopsis
    a sketchy summary of the main points of an argument or theory
  50. thesis
    an unproved statement put forward as a premise in an argument
  51. libretto
    the words of an opera or musical play
  52. tempo
    (music) the speed at which a composition is to be played
  53. virtuoso
    someone who is dazzlingly skilled in any field
  54. cherub
    an angel of the second order whose gift is knowledge; usually portrayed as a winged child
  55. seraph
    an angel of the first order; usually portrayed as the winged head of a child
  56. schema
    a schematic or preliminary plan