"What's the plural of die?"
The plural of die is dice.
Definition of die:
A small cube marked with numbers or spots from 1 to 6. A die is often used in games or gambling.
Die vs. Dice: Is Dice Singular or Plural?
The plural form of the noun "die," which refers to a small, cubical object with numbers or symbols on each side, used in games of chance, is "dice."
The word "dice" is derived from the Old French deis, which comes from the Latin datum. The plural form "dice" has been used in English since the 15th century.
There is no specific reason why the plural form of "die" is "dice." It is simply the way that the word has evolved over time, following the regular rules for forming plurals in English.
In the same way, the plural form of other English nouns is often derived from the singular form, sometimes with a change in spelling, such as "mouse" becoming "mice" or "ox" becoming "oxen."
There is often a lot of confusion around the plural form of die. This may stem from the fact that the word dice is very often used colloquially to refer to the singular word die.
In American English the only singular version of the word is die however the Cambridge dictionary states the word dice as an acceptable form for a singular die.
Plural of Die Example Sentences
Here are a few examples of sentences using "die" and "dice" with explanations to illustrate the difference between them:
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"I need a die to play this board game." (singular) In this sentence, "die" is used in the singular form to refer to a single small, cubical object used in games of chance.
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"We need to roll the dice to see who goes first." (plural) In this sentence, "dice" is used in the plural form to refer to more than one small, cubical object used in games of chance.
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"The die has six sides, each with a different symbol on it." (singular) In this sentence, "die" is used in the singular form to refer to a single small, cubical object used in games of chance.
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"I like to play craps because it involves rolling dice." (plural) In this sentence, "dice" is used in the plural form to refer to more than one small, cubical object used in games of chance.
Fun Fact:
Dice were invented thousands of years ago. The oldest examples of dice were discovered in the country of Iran.
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