# Mouse or Mice?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mouse-or-mice/115331>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 21, 2002, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mouse-or-mice/115331 "2002-06-21T20:27:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![mellonhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e19adc/32.png) [@mellonhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mellonhead)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2002, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mouse-or-mice/115331/1 "2002-06-21T20:27:56Z")

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What is the correct plural form of “mouse” (as in “computer mouse”)? Is it “mouses”, “mice”, “mouse” (like sheep)?

I did a search on this and can’t seem to come up with anything other than animal mice - not the technological variety.

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**Author:** ![JeffB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeffb/32/188_2.png) [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2002, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mouse-or-mice/115331/2 "2002-06-21T20:31:41Z")

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I’ve always used “mice”, though I’ve heard “mouses”. Personally, I prefer “trackballs”.

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**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2002, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mouse-or-mice/115331/3 "2002-06-21T20:40:36Z")

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Tech Author **scott\_evil** posted [a rant about this subject](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=113390) in The Pit a while back. You may find what you’re looking for there, but if you’re like him you won’t like it.

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**Author:** ![scott\_evil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@scott\_evil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scott_evil)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2002, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mouse-or-mice/115331/4 "2002-06-21T21:13:27Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by everton \*  
> \*\*Tech Author **scott\_evil** posted [a rant about this subject](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=113390) in The Pit a while back. You may find what you’re looking for there, but if you’re like him you won’t like it. \*\*

Must you remind me of how badly I got shot down? 😉

Anyway, I was just going by the Apple and Microsoft style guides. I’ve only ever had to use the term “mouse device” in documentation once, in my own style guide, in reference to Mac mouse devices having only one button.

- s.e.

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**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2002, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mouse-or-mice/115331/5 "2002-06-21T23:24:54Z")

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I have been using **mice** since 1978 (on the good old Xerox Altos). I never heard anyone _ever_ say “mouses”. (If they had, they would have been the butt of much ridicule.)

Computer people may warp in the language at times but certain basic rules are obeyed.

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**Author:** ![scott\_evil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@scott\_evil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scott_evil)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2002, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mouse-or-mice/115331/6 "2002-06-22T01:28:21Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by ftg \*  
> \*\*I have been using **mice** since 1978 (on the good old Xerox Altos). I never heard anyone _ever_ say “mouses”. (If they had, they would have been the butt of much ridicule.)
> 
> Computer people may warp in the language at times but certain basic rules are obeyed. \*\*

Must. Refrain. From. Going. Into. Tech. Writer. Mode.

Anyway, **ftg** , did you ever use the Xerox Star? Shame it never caught on.

(I used to work for Xerox.)

- s.e.