# why buses instead of busses? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 2, 2001, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buses-instead-of-busses/91108 "2001-11-02T12:21:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buses-instead-of-busses/91108/1 "2001-11-02T12:21:02Z")
Why do we not double the ‘s’ when pluralizing ‘bus’? -Kris ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buses-instead-of-busses/91108/2 "2001-11-02T12:29:10Z")
Because “busses” is the plural form of a slang term for ‘kisses’. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buses-instead-of-busses/91108/3 "2001-11-02T12:34:03Z")
Please elaborate - is that actually the reason or are you being facetious? Is bus or buss a slang term for “kiss”? Where can I find an example of that usage? -Kris ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buses-instead-of-busses/91108/4 "2001-11-02T12:45:26Z")
actually, “busses” is accepted as a plural…at least by merriam-webster. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buses-instead-of-busses/91108/5 "2001-11-02T13:36:43Z")
The kissing buss is no excuse. It’s not like our language doesn’t otherwise have different words that are spelled and/or pronounced exactly the same, and I’ve got this phonics problem: I can’t look at “buses” without my brain saying “byoo-zes”. Might as well tell me it’s spelled “krlej”! But then, after all, if I go for a walk and see a poster advertising “Flava Flav performing at the HIPHOPHUT”, I read it as “Flaaahva Flæv performing at the High Foe Futt”… ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buses-instead-of-busses/91108/6 "2001-11-02T13:46:37Z")
**AHunter3** , your post made me laugh. I do that too, when I see a “ph” juxtaposition. There’s a car dealer here in Atlanta named after its owner, Leiphart. My mom and I always wanted to pronounce it “Lee Fart.” **postcards** , why would you say _buss_ is a “slang” term for kiss? According to [Merriam-Webster](http://www.m-w.com), “buss” has meant “kiss” since at least 1570. Slang usually appears and disappears quickly; it doesn’t hang around for 400 years. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buses-instead-of-busses/91108/7 "2001-11-02T14:18:12Z")
My dictionary says that ‘buses’ & ‘busses’ are both acceptable for a plural of ‘bus’ which comes from ‘omnibus’… a large vehicle. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buses-instead-of-busses/91108/8 "2001-11-02T15:57:35Z")
How many one-syllable singular nouns are there that end in **s** but not **ss**? All I can find are: bos, pl. boves (from Latin) bus, pl. buses or busses crus, pl. crura (from Latin) gas, pl. gases or gasses kris, pl. ??? mus, pl. mures (from Latin) pas, pl. pas (from French) pes, pl. podes (from Latin) plus pl. pluses or plusses pus, no plural as far as I know sis, pl. ??? vas, pl. vasa (from Latin) vis, pl. vires (from Latin) yes, pl. yeses ---
**Author:** ![Delta-9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3be4f8/32.png) [@Delta-9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Delta-9)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buses-instead-of-busses/91108/9 "2001-11-02T16:42:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kris Rhodes \* > \*\*Why do we not double the ‘s’ when pluralizing ‘bus’? > > -Kris \*\* Because you don’t want your reader to think you’re talking about clearing tables at a restaurant, or the parallel circuits in your computer (from [dictionary.com](http://www.dictionary.com/cgi-bin/dict.pl?term=buss) ). Of course context is everything. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buses-instead-of-busses/91108/10 "2001-11-02T17:26:05Z")
I personally thing the plural of bus should be bae. Works even better with Omnibus. “There were several Omnibae waiting at the crossroads.” Sounds better, I think. One bus, many bae. ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buses-instead-of-busses/91108/11 "2001-11-02T18:18:23Z")
-us goes to -i, doesn’t it? One omnibus would become two omnibi. -a goes to -ae Alga --\> algae Alumna --\> alumnae Alumnus --\> alumni The problem is these are Latin based plurals, so Athena, wise though she is, might not be fully versed in them. We need Minerva to weigh in. ---
**Author:** ![SteverinoAlaReno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb8c5e/32.png) [@SteverinoAlaReno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteverinoAlaReno)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buses-instead-of-busses/91108/12 "2001-11-02T18:25:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Greg Charles \* > \*\*-us goes to -i, doesn’t it? One omnibus would become two omnibi. -a goes to -ae > > Alga --\> algae > Alumna --\> alumnae > Alumnus --\> alumni > > The problem is these are Latin based plurals, so Athena, wise though she is, might not be fully versed in them. We need Minerva to weigh in. \*\* Not all Latin words ending in -us are pluralized -i. That’s for second declension nouns. Fourth declension nouns, which also end in -us, are pluralized differently. “Genus” is pluralized “genera”. ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buses-instead-of-busses/91108/13 "2001-11-02T18:49:25Z")
Greg Charles: Okay, fine. Have it your way. Plural of “bus” is **bi**. SteverinoAlaReno: Okay, fine. Have it your way. Plural of “bus” is **bra**. And in case I don’t see you: good afternoon, good evening and good night! ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buses-instead-of-busses/91108/14 "2001-11-02T18:50:10Z")
Ignoring, of course, that _omnibus_ is already the Latin plural of _omnis_. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buses-instead-of-busses/91108/15 "2001-11-02T19:04:04Z")
I never claimed that I was following the Latin. To me, “bae” is the logical plural of “bus.” It has nothing to do with Latin. Rather, it has more to do with my strange language sense. But you’re right, **Greg** , I’m more of a Greek Goddess myself. Seek out Minerva for your Latin questions. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buses-instead-of-busses/91108/16 "2001-11-02T19:12:57Z")
Another strange example is “antenna”. There are two plural forms. The original “antennae” refers to insects and crustaceans. The newer form “antennas” refers to radio aerials. I suppose radio engineers just did not know their Latin. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buses-instead-of-busses/91108/17 "2001-11-02T19:40:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bibliophage \* > \*\*How many one-syllable singular nouns are there that end in **s** but not **ss**? All I can find are: > > bos, pl. boves (from Latin) > bus, pl. buses or busses > crus, pl. crura (from Latin) > gas, pl. gases or gasses > kris, pl. ??? > mus, pl. mures (from Latin) > pas, pl. pas (from French) > pes, pl. podes (from Latin) > plus pl. pluses or plusses > pus, no plural as far as I know > sis, pl. ??? > vas, pl. vasa (from Latin) > vis, pl. vires (from Latin) > yes, pl. yeses \*\* Haven’t given much thought to that, but chaos comes to mind. Don’t know what the plural would be, if it has one. Probably many others. ---
**Author:** ![Nukeman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce7236/32.png) [@Nukeman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nukeman)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buses-instead-of-busses/91108/18 "2001-11-02T20:06:00Z")
I would have thought that in order to make (most) words plural you don’t put ‘ses’ on the end you put ‘es’ or ‘s’ on the end, as in ‘train’ not ‘trains’. However bus seems to be the exception to the rule. The OED (1989) seems to indicate that it is okay to use ‘busses’(and even buss, which it indicates is a 'variant) but not ‘omnibusses’, though it adds that ‘omnibi’ is sometimes used: Omnibus: A four-wheeled public vehicle for carrying passengers, with the inside seats extending along the sides, and the entrance at the rear, and with or without seats on the roof; usually plying along a fixed route. (Colloq. shortened to bus.) ¶omnibi, representing a spurious ‘plural’ (in quot. 1889 genitive singular) form, occurs occasionally. 'Bus: A familiar shortening of OMNIBUS. 1832 H. MARTINEAU ‘Weal & Woe’ i. 14 If the station offers me a place in a buss. 1837 ‘Fraser’s Mag.’ XVI. 680 Another Buss came up. Of course, the real reason this is the way it is written is because this is the way it was spelled when it was put into the dictionary in the 19th century, and that is the way they decided to spell it. Delta-9, well thats not necessarily true as we use the word ‘tie’ and ‘ties’ for several meanings, for example. ---
**Author:** ![Omphaloskeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bcef8e/32.png) [@Omphaloskeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omphaloskeptic)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buses-instead-of-busses/91108/19 "2001-11-02T20:39:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Keeve \* > \*\*Greg Charles: Okay, fine. Have it your way. Plural of “bus” is **bi**. > > SteverinoAlaReno: Okay, fine. Have it your way. Plural of “bus” is **bra**. > \*\* This is probably funnier if you’ve taken any Latin: > [@](#): > > _Motor Bus_ > > What is it that roareth thus? > Can it be a Motor Bus? > Yes, the smell and hideous hum > Indicat Motorem Bum! > Implet in the Corn and High > Terror me Motoris Bi: > Bo Motori clamitabo > Ne Motore caedar a Bo - > Dative be or Ablative > So thou only let us live: > Whither shall thy victims flee? > Spare us, spare us, Motor Be! > Thus I sang; and still anigh > Came in hordes Motores Bi, > Et complebat omne forum > Copia Motorum Borum. > How shall wretched lives like us > Cincti Bis Motoribus? > Domine, defende nos > Contra hos Motores Bos! > > A. D. GODLEY -omph ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buses-instead-of-busses/91108/20 "2001-11-02T23:48:55Z")
- If the plural of octopus is octopi and platypus is platypi what is the plural of schoolbus? 44 language things that you could just as well ask here but should not: [http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Olympus/2843/Think169.html](http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Olympus/2843/Think169.html) e.g. - Wouldn’t the sentence ‘I want to put a hyphen between the words Fish and And and And and Chips in my Fish-And-Chip sign’ have been clearer if quotation marks had been placed before Fish and between Fish and and and and and And and And and and and and and And and And and and and and and Chips as well as after Chips? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-buses-instead-of-busses/91108.md?page=2)