120 Examples of Irregular Nouns

An irregular noun is a noun that forms its plural in a way that is different from the regular method of adding -s or -es. These nouns often change their vowel sounds or entire spellings when forming plurals.

Here's a list with 120 examples of irregular nouns:

Irregular Nouns with Plural Changes in Vowels or Endings

  • Alga -> Algae

  • Analysis -> Analyses

  • Antenna -> Antennae

  • Axis -> Axes

  • Bacterium -> Bacteria

  • Basis -> Bases

  • Cactus -> Cacti

  • Calf -> Calves

  • Cherub -> Cherubim

  • Child -> Children

  • Crisis -> Crises

  • Criterion -> Criteria

  • Datum -> Data

  • Diagnosis -> Diagnoses

  • Die -> Dice

  • Dingo -> Dingoes

  • Ellipsis -> Ellipses

  • Emphasis -> Emphases

  • Fungus -> Fungi

  • Hypothesis -> Hypotheses

  • Index -> Indices

  • Knife -> Knives

  • Leaf -> Leaves

  • Life -> Lives

  • Louse -> Lice

  • Man -> Men

  • Matrix -> Matrices

  • Medium -> Media

  • Memorandum -> Memoranda

  • Mouse -> Mice

Irregular Nouns with Plural Forms That Remain Unchanged

  • Bison -> Bison

  • Cod -> Cod

  • Deer -> Deer

  • Fish -> Fish

  • Grouse -> Grouse

  • Moose -> Moose

  • Salmon -> Salmon

  • Series -> Series

  • Sheep -> Sheep

  • Shrimp -> Shrimp

  • Trout -> Trout

  • Aircraft -> Aircraft

  • Barracks -> Barracks

  • Crossroads -> Crossroads

  • Headquarters -> Headquarters

  • Species -> Species

  • Dice -> Dice

  • Offspring -> Offspring

  • Swine -> Swine

  • Works -> Works

  • Means -> Means

  • Scissors -> Scissors

  • Pants -> Pants

  • Glasses -> Glasses

  • Shorts -> Shorts

  • Trousers -> Trousers

  • Alms -> Alms

  • Blues -> Blues

  • Luggage -> Luggage

  • News -> News

Irregular Nouns with Unique Plural Forms

  • Oasis -> Oases

  • Octopus -> Octopuses/Octopi

  • Ox -> Oxen

  • Parenthesis -> Parentheses

  • Person -> People

  • Phenomenon -> Phenomena

  • Radius -> Radii

  • Self -> Selves

  • Stimulus -> Stimuli

  • Syllabus -> Syllabi

  • Synopses -> Synopses

  • Thesis -> Theses

  • Tooth -> Teeth

  • Vertebra -> Vertebrae

  • Wife -> Wives

  • Wolf -> Wolves

  • Woman -> Women

  • Alumna -> Alumnae

  • Amoeba -> Amoebae

  • Antithesis -> Antitheses

  • Appendix -> Appendices

  • Bacillus -> Bacilli

  • Behalf -> Behalves

  • Buffalo -> Buffalo

  • Bureau -> Bureaux/Bureaus

  • Campus -> Campuses

  • Chassis -> Chassis

  • Corps -> Corps

  • Curriculum -> Curricula

  • Genus -> Genera

Additional Irregular Nouns

  • Elf -> Elves

  • Foot -> Feet

  • Goose -> Geese

  • Half -> Halves

  • Hero -> Heroes

  • Hoof -> Hooves

  • Knife -> Knives

  • Leaf -> Leaves

  • Life -> Lives

  • Man -> Men

  • Mouse -> Mice

  • Person -> People

  • Potato -> Potatoes

  • Scarves -> Scarves

  • Self -> Selves

  • Shelf -> Shelves

  • Thief -> Thieves

  • Tomato -> Tomatoes

  • Tooth -> Teeth

  • Wolf -> Wolves

  • Woman -> Women

  • Alumnus -> Alumni

  • Axis -> Axes

  • Crisis -> Crises

  • Diagnosis -> Diagnoses

  • Ellipsis -> Ellipses

  • Emphasis -> Emphases

  • Hypothesis -> Hypotheses

  • Phenomenon -> Phenomena