plurals

Noun

plural (plural plurals)

1. (uncountable) The plural number. In English, referring to more or less than one of something.
   • "There are three numbers; the singular, the dual, and the plural. [...] The dual is sometimes used to denote two objects, but even here the plural is more common."1895, William W. Goodwin, A Greek Grammar. Revised and enlarged., page 34
2. (countable) A word in the form in which it potentially refers to something other than one person or thing; and other than two things if the language has a dual form.
   • The plural of 'cat' is 'cats', but the plural of 'child' is 'children'.
3. (countable, multiplicity) A person with some form of multiplicity, particularly dissociative identity disorder.
   • Singlet and monocultural identity is so normalized that many voice hearers and plurals don’t share their experiences with anyone, living in isolation (and sometimes in poverty) and spending considerable inner resources to manage postures and performances of ‘mental health’.2016, Lori F. Clarke, “Embracing Polyphony: Voices, Improvisation, and the Hearing Voices Network”, in Intersectionalities: A Global Journal of Social Work Analysis, Research, Polity, and Practice...

   Synonyms:

   multiple, system

See all 7 meanings of plural