Playing the singular/plural game is always fun (at least to me), so here is a short aside with a few of my favorites that relate to the topics I lectured on these past few weeks:
- Apparatus → apparatus
Origin: Latin, ap- (toward) + parare (to set)
A piece of equipment, i.e., something that “sets you toward something”
- Foramen → foramina
Origin: Latin, forare (to bore)
An anatomical hole or opening
- Fossa → fossae
Origin: Latin, fodere (to dig)
An anatomical ditch, with only one open end
- Octopus → octopodes
Origin: Greek, octo– (eight) + podos (foot)
The animal with eight feet
Can you think of the plurals for these words? Leave a comment below!
- Plexus
- Isthmus
- Duodenum
- Platypus
- Rhinoceros (!)