"What's the plural of memorandum?"

The plural of memorandum is memoranda or memorandums.


Definition of memorandum:

A memorandum, often shortened to "memo," is a written message or communication that is typically used in a business or government setting.

Memos are used to convey important information, instructions, or requests to colleagues, employees, or other individuals.

Memoranda or Memorandums?

So, what is the correct plural form of memorandum? Both "memoranda" and "memorandums" are technically correct.

"Memoranda" is the Latin plural form of the word, while "memorandums" is the anglicized plural.

While both forms are considered acceptable, "memoranda" is considered the more traditional and formal option. This version follows the standard rules for forming the plural of Latin words ending in -um by replacing -um with -a.

See the ngram graph at the bottom of the page for a comparison of their usages in written English.


Is Memorandum Singular or Plural?

"Memorandum" is a singular noun, meaning it refers to one specific written communication. It is important to remember that even though memoranda may contain multiple messages or communications, it still refers to one singular entity.


Should You Say “Memoranda is” or “Memoranda are”?

When using the word "memoranda" in a sentence, it is important to use the correct verb agreement. As "memoranda" is a plural noun, it requires a plural verb.

For example, you would say "the memoranda are being published" instead of "the memoranda is being published" because you are referring to multiple written communications.


Is Memorandum a Countable or Uncountable Noun?

A countable noun is a noun that can be counted, and memorandums are countable because they can be counted or quantified as individual items.

For example, if a company produces several memorandums, you can count how many there are, and they can be individually referred to as "one memorandum" or "two memorandums", and so on.

Moreover, when a noun is countable, it can be used with both singular and plural forms, depending on the context of the sentence. For instance, "I received a memorandum" refers to a single memo, whereas "I received several memoranda" indicates the receipt of multiple memos.


Plural of Memorandum Example Sentences

Here are some examples of "memorandum" in singular form:

  1. I need to write a memorandum to my team about the new project.

  2. The memorandum from the CEO was distributed to all employees.

  3. The memorandum outlines the changes to the company's policies.


Here are some examples of "memorandum" in plural form (memoranda):

  1. The office has a collection of old memoranda dating back to the 1980s.

  2. The memoranda presented to the board showed a decrease in sales.

  3. We need to review the memoranda before submitting them to the committee.


And here are some more examples of “memorandum” in plural form (memorandums):

  1. The CEO issued several memorandums to the employees outlining the new company policy.

  2. The legal department prepared numerous memorandums summarizing the key findings of their research.

  3. During the meeting, the participants exchanged several memorandums on their respective projects.


Memoranda vs. memorandums

The graph shows the occurances of the plural of memorandum in written English since 1800 using Google's Ngram Viewer.


Sources:

https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/memorandum

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The plural of memorandum is memoranda or memorandums
The plural of memorandum is memoranda or memorandums