What does pluralizing mean?
Pluralizing is the present-participle and gerund form of the verb “pluralize.” In its most common grammatical sense, it means forming a word so that it refers to more than one person, place, thing, or idea. English usually does this by adding the suffix -s, although many irregular nouns, including children, feet, and mice, change their internal forms instead. The verb can also be used more broadly to mean increasing the number of something, as in a proposal to pluralize a team or a collection. The latter use often carries a slightly formal or institutional tone. Pluralizing is particularly useful in language teaching, editing, and discussions of grammar because it focuses attention on the process by which singular forms become plural. Its name ultimately reflects the Latin word plus, meaning “more,” from which the English word “plural” was borrowed.
verbTo form or express a word in a form that indicates more than one person, place, thing, or idea. It may also mean to increase the number of something.
- To change a word into a form denoting more than one person or thing.
- To increase the number of people, objects, or entities in a group.
"The course teaches students how irregular verbs change when pluralizing them."
"Linguists study the rules involved in pluralizing nouns in different languages."
"The company is expanding its workforce by pluralizing its customer-service team."
Its Latin ancestor, plus, simply meant “more”—the same idea that gives English “plural” its name.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does pluralizing come from?
“Pluralize” was formed in English from “plural” and the suffix -ize, meaning “to make” or “to become.” The adjective “plural” comes through French from Latin pluralis, derived from plus, meaning “more.” The same Latin root underlies related English words such as “plurality” and “pluralism.”
Related word forms
How pluralizing is actually used
In formal grammatical contexts, it usually refers to the formation of plural forms. The British spelling is “pluralising”; American English normally uses “pluralizing.” In its second sense, “pluralizing” can sound abstract or bureaucratic.
Easily confused with pluralizing
Pluralization is the noun naming the process or result, whereas pluralizing is the verb describing the action.