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Loans of Greek origin
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| Singular | Plural |
| -is [ɪs] basis crisis analysis thesis parenthesis axis hypothesis diagnosis -on [ǝn] criterion phenomenon -а [ǝ] miasma | -es [i:z] bases crises analyses theses parentheses axes hypotheses diagnoses -а [ǝ] criteria phenomena -ata [ǝtǝ] miasmata |
Loans of Latin origin
| -us [ǝs] stimulus nucleus radius corpus genus -а [ǝ] formula antenna vertebra -um [ǝm] datum stratum erratum -es,-ix [ɪks] index appendix matrix | -i [ai] -ога [ǝrǝ] -era [ǝrǝ] stimuli nuclei radii corpora genera -ае [i:] formulae (or regular - formulas) antennae vertebrae -a [ǝ] data strata errata -ices [ɪsi;z] indices appendices matrices | [i:z] or indexes or appendixes or matzixes |
Other loan nouns
| Fr. -ean [ou] tableau bureau It.-o[ou] tempo | -eaux [ouz] tableaux bureaux (or bureaus) -i [i] tempi (or tempos) |
As can be seen from the above list some loan nouns may have two plural forms: the English plural and the original foreign one:
    memorandum
| memoranda memorandums | focus | foci focuses |
  curriculum
| curricula curriculums | ||
  formula
| formulae formulas | ||
  cherub
| cheribum cherubs |
There is a tendency to use the regular English plural forms in fiction and colloquial English and the foreign plural in academic or learned language.
Sometimes different plural forms have different meanings:
| index | indexes (list of contents of books) indices (a mathematical term - показатель) |
| genius | geniuses (men of talent) genii (fabulous spirits guarding a place - духи, домовые) |
Plural in compound nouns
1. As a rule in compounds it is the second component that takes the plural form:
housewives, tooth-brushes, boy-scouts, maid-servants.
2. Compounds in -ful have the plural ending at the end of the word:
handfuls, spoonfuls, mouthfuls, (though spoonsful and mouthsful are also possible).
3. Compounds in which the first component is man or woman have plurals in both first and last components:
men-servants, women-doctors, gentlemen-farmers.
4. Compounds ending in -man change it into -men in spelling. In pronunciation, however, there is no difference between the singular and plural forms, both having [ǝ]:
policeman [ǝn] - policemen [ǝn].
Such nouns as German, Roman, Norman are not compounds, and therefore they have regular plurals:
Germans, Romans, Normans.
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5. In compounds originating from a prepositional noun phrase where the preposition is a linking element only the first noun takes the plural form:
editors-in-chief, mothers-in-law, commanders-in-chief, coats-of-mail, men-of-war (военные корабли).
6. In compounds with a conjunction as a linking element the plural is taken by the second noun:
gin-and-tonics.
7. In compound nouns formed by a noun plus a preposition,or anadverb, or an adjective only the first element takes the plural:
passers-by, lookers-on, courts-martial, attorneys-general.
8. When the compound is a substantivized phrase which doesnot contain a noun, the last element takes the plural ending –s:
forget-me-nots, breakdowns, stand-bys, grown-ups, close-ups,
pick-ups (случайные знакомства),
drop-outs (дезертиры),
go-betweens (посредники).
Invariable nouns
Invariable nouns cannot change their number, some of them are always singular in meaning (linguistics, news), some denote plurality (cattle, police).
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