What’s the plural of “volcano”?
The plural of volcano is volcanoes or volcanos; both are accepted plurals to mention more than one volcano. As a general pattern, many singular nouns that end in –o add –s or –es as a plural noun. Other examples are tomato/tomatoes, potato/potatoes, heroes, echoes, etc.
This is not invariably the case, since sometimes nouns that end in ‘o’ just add an –s as a plural noun, like with radio/radios and video/videos. For the most part, the –es is preferred as the standard plural form, and more common for singular nouns ending in o.
What are volcanoes?
According to USGS.gov, volcanoes are “openings, or vents where lava, tephra (small rocks), and steam erupt onto the Earth’s surface.”
Nouns that end in “-o” / “-es” or “-s”
| singular nouns ending in “-o” | plural “-es” / “-s” |
| tomato | tomatoes |
| buffalo | buffaloes or buffalos |
| potato | potatoes |
| hero | heroes |
| volcano | volcanos or volcanoes |
“Volcano”, used in sentences
The following sentences show the correct use of the word volcano in context. Sentence examples are from USGS on volcanoes:
1. Cinder cones are the simplest type of volcano.
2. Pieces of the volcano collapse as rock falls or as landslides.
3. This connection to fresh magma allows the volcano to erupt over and over again in the same location
4. Kīlauea volcano on the Island of Hawai‘i is one of the most active volcanoes on Earth.
5. Ojos del Salado in Chile is the tallest composite volcano on Earth with a summit elevation (height above sea level) of 22,615 feet;
Examples of the word volcanos/volcanoes used in sentences
The following sentences show the correct use of the word volcanos/volcanoes in context. Sentence examples are from USGS on volcanoes:
1. There are about 1,350 potentially active volcanoes worldwide, not counting the volcanoes under the oceans.
2. Kīlauea volcano on the Island of Hawai‘i is one of the most active volcanoes on Earth.
3. USGS scientists monitor over 160 active and potentially active volcanoes in the United States.
4. Most of these volcanoes are located in Alaska, a state where eruptions occur almost every year.
5. The rest of the volcanoes are located throughout the American West, and in Hawaii (see our volcano activity map for their locations).
Origin of the word volcano
From etymology online on volcano (n.):
1610s, from Italian vulcano “burning mountain,” from Latin Vulcanus “Vulcan,” Roman god of fire, also “fire, flames, volcano”.
What’s the difference between they’re, their, and there?
