PLURAL OF MEDICAL TERMS

1. Plurals of many terms used in the medical language are formed using the rules you already know, but additional rules will
be presented. Plurals of many English words are formed by simply adding an "s" to the singular noun. Write the plural form
of the following by adding "s."
Singular Form Plural Form
abductor _______________________
contusion _______________________
abrasion _______________________
laceration _______________________
2. Singular nouns that end in "s", "ch," or "h" usually form their plurals by adding "es."
Write the plural of abscess by adding "es." ________________
3. Singular nouns that end in "y" preceded by a consonant form their plurals by changing the "y" to "i" and adding "es."
Write plurals of the following words using this rule:
Singular Form Plural Form
allergy ___________________
capillary ___________________
etremity ___________________
o!ary ___________________
4. Some plurals are formed by changing the singular ending of words to a plural ending. "or most words ending in "is," drop
the "is" and add "es." "or the plural of:
epiphysis _______________________
diagnosis _______________________
Write the singular form for:
prognoses_______________________
aes____________________________
psychoses_______________________
5. "or words ending in "um," drop the "um" and add ______________ to form the plural. "or eample, atrium becomes
_________________.
Write the plural of ileum: ____________________
#he singular form of septa is: ________________.
#hat of bacteria is ________________.
6. "or words ending in "us," drop the "us" and add _________.
Singular Form Plural Form
al!eolus ____________________

bacillus ____________________
bronchus ____________________
$ #he plurals !iruses and sinuses are eceptions to this rule.
Write the singular forms of:
cocci _______________________
nuclei ______________________
calculi _____________________
7. "or words that end in "a," change the "a" to _________.
Singular Form Plural Form
!ertebra __________________

bursa __________________

_________________ patellae
_________________ mucosae
_________________ costae
petechia __________________
8. "or words ending in "i" or "e," drop these endings and add ______.
#he plural of appendi is _________________________.
#he singular form of cortices is ___________________.
9. "or words ending in "a," drop the a" and add ______.
#he plural of thora is _______________. %#horaes is also an acceptable plural of thora.&
10. 'f the singular form of a word ends in "ma," change the "ma" to ___________.
Singular Form Plural Form
carcinoma _______________
fibroma _______________
________________ stomata
$ %#here are two acceptable plurals for nouns ha!ing the suffi (oma: carcinomas or carcinomata, fibromas or fibromata and
sarcomas or sarcomata&
11. "or words ending in "on," drop the "on" and add _____.
Plurals of phenomenon and spermato)oon are _____________________ and _____________________.
12. "inally, the last rule for forming plurals of medical terms is the following: "or words that end in "n," change the "n" to
________.
Phalan becomes __________________.
#he plural of laryn is _______________.
*g. +,SE -./0,S 1,-#23 -.4/E/.