Nouns ending in -a typically form plurals with which ending?

Nouns ending in -a typically form plurals with which ending?

• A. ae
• B. a
• C. i
• D. es

Answer: (A)

In medical terminology, many Latin-derived nouns that end in -a form their plurals by adding -ae. This reflects the Latin feminine plural ending, so you see forms like vertebrae, antennae, larvae, and formulae. Therefore, the plural ending is -ae. The other endings don’t fit this common pattern for these -a nouns: -i comes from -us words (like nucleus → nuclei), -es is used for different Latin-derived plurals or irregular cases, and -a wouldn’t indicate a plural in this pattern.

In medical terminology, many Latin-derived nouns that end in -a form their plurals by adding -ae. This reflects the Latin feminine plural ending, so you see forms like vertebrae, antennae, larvae, and formulae. Therefore, the plural ending is -ae. The other endings don’t fit this common pattern for these -a nouns: -i comes from -us words (like nucleus → nuclei), -es is used for different Latin-derived plurals or irregular cases, and -a wouldn’t indicate a plural in this pattern.