What’s the Plural of Syllabus?
This Now that another school year is starting, it seems an opportune time to clarify the spelling of a word that comes up a lot with a new school term. Take your best shot.
What is the correct plural form for "syllabus," according to Associated Press (AP) style?
syllabi
syllabuses
syllabus
Options 1 and 2 both correct
The correct answer, when using AP style, is "syllabuses." In other uses, "syllabuses" and "syllabi" are considered equally correct and acceptable, but you may be on slightly firmer ground with “syllabuses.” This is because the Latin spelling “syllabus” is a misreading of the Greek word it was taken from, according to the book Says Who?, by Anne Curzan. After this misreading occurred, “syllabus” began to take the plural “syllabi.” Today, “syllabuses” is the most common plural in British English, where it edges out “syllabi” by a ratio of 1.4 to 1, according to the book Garner’s Modern English Usage, by Bryan Garner. But “syllabi” by far dominates over “syllabuses” in American English, by a whopping 10-to-1 ratio. However, while both plurals are widely used, “syllabi” is in truth a faux Latin plural.