Is “ellipsis” singular or plural?
Ellipses is plural; ellipsis is singular. Ellipses (pronounced e-lip-sees) is the only plural form of the singular noun ellipsis. Why is ellipsis/ellipses an irregular plural noun? Keep reading to learn more.
An ellipsis is a punctuation mark consisting of three dots.
The document contained multiple ellipses indicating omitted text.
His email ended with an ellipses.
The editor removed several unnecessary ellipsis from the draft.
What the definition of ellipsis?
Merriam-Webster defines ellipsis/ellipses as “marks or a mark (such as … ) indicating an omission (as of words) or a pause.” Ellipsis/ellipses are three dots or periods in a row, and when one appears in sentences, they indicate a strong pause (stronger than one from a period or comma).
Ellipsis/ellipses follows the pattern of analysis/analyses: change -sis to -ses for the plural.
Nouns that end in -sis/-ses
Ellipsis is an irregular noun since it doesn’t end in the standard plural noun suffix of -s/-es. The same as other irregular nouns, ellipsis belongs to the category of Greek nouns that end in -sis/-ses (as a plural.) See the chart:
| singular | plural |
| parenthesis | parentheses |
| crisis | crises |
| diagnosis | diagnoses |
| oasis | oases |
| synopsis | synopses |
| thesis | theses |
Examples of ellipsis used in sentences
Today … we vetoed the bill.
After school I went to her house … and then came home.
Ellipses save space or remove material that is less relevant.
Why would he do that . . . ?
I was thinking . . . maybe we should call home.
Origin of the word ellipsis
From etymonline on ellipsis:
From Greek elleipsis “a falling short, defect, ellipse in grammar,” noun of action from elleipein “to fall short, leave out,” from en- “in”.
What’s the difference between they’re, their, and there?
Work Sheet
What is the correct plural form of the noun “ellipsis”?
Which form of the word refers to a single punctuation mark?
According to the post, “ellipsis” follows the plural pattern of which group of words?
Which sentence correctly uses the singular form of the noun?
Which sentence correctly uses the plural form of the noun?
A single punctuation mark consisting of three dots is called an .
The editor suggested adding some to shorten the long quotation.
The scientists presented their of the experimental results.
Using just one can indicate a pause in a sentence.
The text was filled with multiple , making it hard to follow.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the plural of “ellipsis”?
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Is “ellipsis” singular or plural?
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How do you use ellipsis vs ellipses?
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Why is “ellipsis” plural irregular?
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What is the definition of ellipsis?
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Yash, D. "What’s the Plural of Ellipsis?." Grammarflex, Jun 8, 2025, https://www.grammarflex.com/whats-the-plural-of-ellipsis/.
Sources
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“Ellipsis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ellipsis. Accessed 15 Jan. 2023.
