"What's the plural of grown-up?"
The plural of grown-up is grown-ups.
Definition of grown-up:
Grown-up is an adjective that describes a person who is fully developed or mature, especially in terms of behavior or attitudes. It can also be used as a noun to refer to an adult. It is a common term used in everyday conversation and literature.
Which is Correct: Growns-Up or Grown-Ups?
As children, we all yearned for the freedom and independence of being a grown-up. But when it comes to using the word "grown-up" in its plural form, people often get confused. Is it "grown-ups" or "growns-up"? In this blog post, we'll explore the plural of "grown-up" and provide some examples to help clarify.
Now, let's address the plural form of "grown-up." The correct plural is "grown-ups." This is because "grown-up" is a compound noun made up of two words, "grown" and "up."
When forming the plural of a compound noun which is not made of nouns itself, we usually add an "s" to the end of the word. In this case since neither “grown” nor “up” is a noun, the plural of “grown-up” is “grown-ups.”
This follows the same rule as words such as check-in, “sit-up”, and “good-for-nothing”, and all other compound nouns which are made from other word types such as verbs, adjectives, and prepositions.
Plural of Grown-up Example Sentences
To illustrate, here are three example sentences each with the singular and plural noun forms of "grown-up":
Singular:
- He is a grown-up and can make his own decisions.
- As a grown-up, she is responsible for her own actions.
- The movie is not suitable for young children, but it is appropriate for a mature grown-up.
Plural:
- The party was full of grown-ups having a great time.
- The museum exhibit is geared towards grown-ups interested in history.
- The restaurant offers a special menu for groups of six or more grown-ups.
