What Is the Plural of Octopus?

Watery Octopus Tentacles
Octopus Tentacles. doodlemachine / Getty Images
by Grace Fleming
Grace Fleming has a masters in education and is an academic advisor, college enrollment counselor, and freelance writer on study skills.
Updated November 28, 2017

Question: What Is the Plural of Octopus?

Answer: You really can't go  wrong if you try to come up with a plural for octopus on your own. Like many nouns, it has a few acceptable plural forms. The correct forms are octopuses, octopodes, or octopi.

Advice: stick with octopuses in the U.S. It is the most commonly-accepted plural form of octopus.