What is the Plural of Ox?
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Forming the Plural of Ox
The right plural of “ox” is “oxen,” not “oxes.”
A long time ago in Old English, the plural was “oxa” which later became “oxen.”
This is similar to other animal words like “sheep” where the plural is “sheep” rather than “sheeps.”
Similar plurals you may be interested in:
Oxen vs Oxes
There is often confusion about the right plural form of the word “ox.” Should it be “oxes” or “oxen”? The answer relates to where “ox” comes from as a noun and how it is categorized.
Why is There Confusion Over the Plural of Ox?
In modern English, most nouns just add an “s” to be plural. Since “ox” does not follow this easy rule, it causes confusion. Some people make a mistake and add an “s” to say “oxes.”
Is Ox a Countable or Uncountable Noun?
Ox is a countable noun. That means it can be plural. This is unlike uncountable nouns like “water” that stay singular.
As an example, you could say “There are three oxen.”
What Do You Call a Group of Ox?
While the plural of ox is oxen, a group of ox can also be called:
- A team of oxen
- A yoke of oxen
- A herd of oxen
Example Sentences with the Plural of Ox
- The oxen pulled the plow through the field each day.
- The farmer fed his oxen grass and hay.
- It took six oxen to pull the heavy wagon.
- He trained the oxen to go where he said.
- The farm had many oxen that helped pull the plows through the field.
Definition of Ox
An ox is a trained male cow used for work.
Where Does the Word Ox Come From?
In Old English, ox comes from the word “oxa” used to mean a male cow that was castrated. The word has old roots and is related to words in other languages like Sanskrit, Greek, and Latin that mean bull or bullock.
Conclusion
Ox is an irregular noun whose plural is oxen.
