"What's the plural of hypothalamus?"
The plural of hypothalamus is hypothalami.
Definition of hypothalamus:
The vital part of the brain that regulates many bodily functions, such as hunger, thirst, and body temperature.
What is the Hypothalamus?
The hypothalamus is a small but crucial part of the brain that plays a significant role in regulating many bodily functions, including hunger and thirst, body temperature, sleep, and hormone production.
It is located near the base of the brain, just above the pituitary gland.
Is Hypothalamus Singular or Plural?
The word "hypothalamus" is a singular noun in the English language. However, when we refer to more than one hypothalamus, the word is "hypothalami", as per its Latin plural spelling.
There is a second option: we can add an "es" to the end of the word to form "hypothalamuses". This form however, is quite rare and it is not listed in any of the major dictionaries.
The graph at the bottom of the page shows a comparison of the instances of each spelling in written English language since 1900. As you can see, “hypothalamuses” is the much rarer spelling of the two.
Hypothalamuses or Hypothalami?
The correct plural form of "hypothalamus" is "hypothalami." In medical terminology, many Latin or Greek-based words follow specific rules for their pluralization.
"Hypothalamus" is derived from Latin, and according to the standard rules for forming plurals in Latin, the "-us" ending of the singular form is replaced with "-i" in the plural form. Therefore, when referring to multiple hypothalami, "hypothalami" is the appropriate plural form.
Is Hypothalamus a Countable or Uncountable Noun?
Hypothalamus is considered a countable noun in the English language. That means that it can be both singular and plural, and we can use it with both definite and indefinite articles.
Plural of Hypothalamus Example Sentences
Here are three example sentences that use the word hypothalamus in both the singular and plural:
Singular:
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The hypothalamus regulates body temperature and appetite.
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Damage to the hypothalamus can cause hormonal imbalances.
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The hypothalamus is a key player in the body's stress response.
Plural:
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Scientists have studied the hypothalami of various animals to understand their reproductive behaviors.
The hypothalami are responsible for maintaining homeostasis in the body.
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Researchers have found that certain regions of the hypothalami are more active during periods of high stress.
Hypothalamuses vs. hypothalami
The graph shows the occurances of the plural of hypothalamus in written English since 1800 using Google's Ngram Viewer.
Fun Fact:
The hypothalamus is often referred to as the "brain's brain" because of its significant role in regulating other parts of the brain and the body.
Despite being only about the size of an almond, it is responsible for many vital functions that keep us alive and healthy.
In fact, damage to the hypothalamus can result in a range of conditions, including obesity, diabetes insipidus, and sleep disorders.
Sources:
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/hypothalamus
