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Poll: The plural of "buffalo" is:

The plural of "buffalo" is:

buffalo
buffalos
buffaloes

Statistics Poll Stats

This Poll:

  • Votes: 12,722
  • Comments: 37
  • Added: September 2005

Comments:

Buffalo Bill

My dictionary says all three are correct

Susan

Two are the correct answer to the plural of buffalo.

Susan

Buffalo Bill was correct. All three are acceptable, with buffalo being the first choice as the plural.

Chloe

All three are correct! I go with Buffaloes though.

Ibrahim

Isnt there more than one plural form onf buffalo? like fish and fishes....

Steve

I was always taught that the plural of buffalo was bison; at least when referring to the American buffalo.

AJ

The American Bison is the american form of the Buffalo, not the plural

Dell

Just because something is in the dictionary, doesn't mean it's correct. The dictionary people add stuff to the dictionary because it helps them stay in business. If people use words incorrectly or if they use a non-word, then they add it to the dictionary whether it is legitimate or not. The plural for buffalo is buffalo.

Elle

What's next... "sheeps"?!?

andy

although buffalo is a special noun that can be singular and plural, neverthes, it belong tho the type of irregular plural nouns. So, it is also correct to write "buffaloes" as the plural of buffalo.
thanks

Lisa Carrette

My 5th grade daughter had this as a spelling word this week. I agree that the plural should be buffalo. Just like the plural of deer is deer.

Vivienne W

Although the plural of Buffalo, as commonly used is "Buffalo", "Buffaloes" is presently commonly used and taught to pupils in schools.

man

The funbrain website says its buffalos but i always heard it as buffalo.

Ninja Duck

Majority rules. Collin, you're wrong.

mick

"Oh, give me a home, where the BUFFALO roam..."

buffalo

whatever words that are more common than the others then thats the right way

lundy

Let's not be buffaloed; let buffalo be.

Steve

I think it depends on the context. A herd of buffalo, but a pair of buffaloes. Buffalo as a plural is more like a mass noun; buffaloes is a collection of individuals.

Emilia

definitely buffalo

Kayla

well i think that it should be buffalo because most animals remain singular even if it is plural

TDC

Yeah I would go with buffalo, not buffalos or buffaloes. In fact, buffalos isn't a word.

ELA Jonny

I believe you can use any of the three, personally I think the singular sounds best for the plural. I think "Where the Buffalo Roam" has colored my opinion.

isha

i dont know whwt buffelo plural please help

*Anonymous*

I'd say I have to go with TDC, Mick,
Lundy, and ELA Jonny...

Chris Richardson

As I was eating my 2 taco (or tacoes, or tacos), I thought, why not ask the University of Colorado Buffaloes what they think?

nevaeh

this didnt help???

Annette

The plural of buffalo is buffalo. I can tell a lot about a persons education when I heard them misuse words in the English language. I always appreciated it when my sister corrected me when I misspoke. Ex. the plural of ox is oxen. Now if the dictionary folks would stop conforming to adding words just to stay in the good graces of the people who tend to argue the points then they'd learn to accept reality and have to admit they stand corrected. Buffaloes sounds stupid to me.

Kali Kross

Re: Annette's comment----
I'm amused by the people who lambaste others, yet they, themselves, are guilty of the same or similar linguistic infractions. Annette says, "I can tell a lot about a persons education when I heard them misuse words in the English language." Dear, a person (omitting the spelling errors you committed yourself) does not pair with "them" or "they." A person pairs with "he/she." This is called pronoun-antecedent agreement. Additionally, your sentence begins in the present, so the verb "hear" should also be in the present, not in the past. This is called verb tense consistency. Perhaps it was your own schooling readers are meant to question. As far as the "buffalo" question goes: there is no question. Buffalo is a non-count noun. Ergo, no matter how many there are, the proper term is always "buffalo."

random

It's extremely amusing when you can find a page full of people arguing about the plural form of buffalo.

Timmy

You are easily amused.

me

i agree with steve about depending on the context

buffalo tapper

What if the buffalo buffaloes all the other buffalo? Now "buffaloes" is a present tense singular verb. "Buffalo" is still both singular and plural.

Charles Dickens

I am a wordsmith and therefore the only credible source. You all have forgotten the Engliah language while squabbling about your neighbors and the capris Kim Kardashian is wearing. The plural form of buffalo is bison. Now take your slumber common people.

--Charles "The Anteater" Dickens

Larry

"Oh, give me a home where the buffalo roam." I'm from Kansas, and that's the state song. 'Buffaloes' just doesn't sound correct to me.

Julie

I recommend everyone look up buffalo and bison in the online Webster's Dictionary from 1828.

Les

Why not a more modern dictionary?

Jessica

It's buffalo. I'm always turned off by how words or grammatical rules are softened to appease growing groups of people that don't care to learn. Am I the only one that thinks if they'd rather spend their energy establishing acceptance of something they do wrong, instead of just learning it correctly they shouldn't be taken seriously? It's buffalo.

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