What Is the Plural of Mouse? | Definition & Examples

The plural of mouse is mice, pronounced [mahys]. Mice is an irregular plural noun that doesn’t follow regular pluralization rules, which simply add “-s” or “-es” to the end of the singular form to create the plural form (e.g., dog/dogs and watch/watches).

Mouses or mice

In the context of little hairy rodents, mice is the plural of mouse, and mouses is incorrect.

However, in the context of the computer accessory we use to move a cursor on the screen, both mice and mouses are generally accepted. This is a perfect example of how language evolves with technology.

When the computer mouse was invented in the 1960s, “mice” had long been the accepted plural form for “mouse,” but people were forced to either adopt only this irregular plural form or also accept regular pluralization rules for this new technology.

In other words, people had to decide if they would stick with the irregular plural “mice” or declare that “mouses” was also correct. Many grammar sticklers still say that “mice” is the only correct plural of computer mouse, but in many contexts—such as in the tech world and informal conversation—mouses is generally accepted.

Why “mices” is incorrect

The term mices is incorrect because mice is already plural. Adding an “-s” to the end would be redundant and ungrammatical. The singular noun mouse doesn’t follow regular plural rules that add “-s” or “-es” to the end of the singular to form the plural.

What are irregular plurals?

“Mice” is an irregular plural noun that doesn’t follow regular pluralization rules. Regular pluralization rules create plurals by adding “-s” or “-es” to the end of the singular form (e.g., kitten/kittens and house/houses).

Irregular plurals follow different plural rules. For example, Greek-derived words often change the “-is” ending of the singular form to an “-es” ending in the plural (e.g., axis/axes). Many Latin-derived words tend to change the “-us” to “-i” (e.g., focus/foci) or “-um” to “-a” (e.g., curriculum/curricula).

There are other irregular plurals that come from other origins, like Old English or other linguistic origins.

Zero plurals are another type of irregular plural noun. A zero plural is a word that remains the same in both the singular and plural forms.

Frequently asked questions about the plural of mouse

What is the plural of computer mouse?

Both mice and mouses are acceptable plural forms of mouse in the context of the computer accessory (e.g., “The computer store got a shipment of mice/mouses today”).

Mice is an irregular plural noun that uses irregular pluralization rules, while mouses uses the regular pluralization rules of adding “-s” or “-es” to the end of the singular form. After the invention of the computer mouse in the 1960s, it was decided that mouses is also an acceptable plural form along with the typical plural mice.

Scribbr’s free Grammar Checker ensures you use the correct plural forms words.

Is “mouses” or “mices” correct?

Mouses is only correct as a plural of mouse in the context of computer accessories. Mouses is incorrect in the context of hairy rodents regardless of the number of mice.

Mices is not a word and is incorrect in every context.

Scribbr’s free Grammar Checker ensures you use the correct plural forms of words.

Is it “mices” or “mice”?

Mice is the correct plural of mouse whether you’re talking about a computer accessory or a hairy rodent. Mices is not a word and is incorrect in every context.

Scribbr’s free Grammar Checker can help you use the correct plural forms of words.