A plural noun that becomes singular when you add s

   Share on Facebook  
HZhou  #496371  Thu, 03 Apr 08 10:52 PM
I'm sure many of you have heard of words such as bras, millionaires, and princes that become brass, millionairess, and princess respectively when the letter s is added to the end.

What I'd like to know: is there is a plural noun that, when it becomes singular after the addition of an s, still retains its original meaning? Princes comes close, but there is quite an obvious difference between prince and princess.

Is there such a noun, or am I searching in vain?
  
Not Ranked
Joined on Tue, Jun 5 2007
New Member (29)
Avangi  #496412  Fri, 04 Apr 08 02:00 AM

Too many conditions!

When you began with "bras" to "brass" it encouraged me to overlook the condition of retaining the original meaning, and I undertook to write a program to find all the cases where we go from plural to singular by adding "s" (of which "princess" is one.) However, your "princess" example makes your intention clear, and I realized my folly.  I now suspect your search is in vain.  If such existed, someone surely would have stumbled upon it by now.

  
Top 50 Contributor
Joined on Mon, Nov 19 2007
Senior Member (2,393)
Trusted Users
". . . le plaisir delicieux et toujours nouveau d'une occupation inutile." - Henri de Regnier
AddThis Feed Button RSS Feed: Puzzles, Riddles, and Word ESL Games
© 2008 MediaCET Ltd.
Terms and Conditions