Zoe from Kingston, New York, wonders: what is the plural of octopus? More than one of these animals can be referred to as octopi or octopuses. Octopus comes from Greek words that mean “eight feet,” so strictly speaking, if you wanted to use the equivalent of a Greek ending on this word, you’d use the rare English word octopodes (which, correctly pronounced, rhymes with “mock plop of cheese,” not “wok foe toads”), but try it, and you’ll only sound pretentious. This is part of a complete episode.
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