How You Pluralize "Pegasus" Explained

[Al-1701]

Oh the pegasus ponies, inspired by the winged horse of Greek myth, they have provided a conundrum to pony fans.  How do you pluralize it when talking about more than one?  Well, looking at the methods of pluralizing Greek and Latin words, this is the definitive answer.

The common spelling of Pegasus is actually the Latin spelling.  In Latin, the plural of a word ending in "us" is to replace it with "i".  One pegasus, two pegasi.

However, Pegasus originally appeared in Greek mythology which has different means to make words plural.  It also has a different spelling the winged horse: Pegasos.  It was common for words imported from Greek to Latin to replace "os" with "us" and Pegasos/Pegasus is one of those examples.  Words ending "os" are made plural by replacing just the "s" with "i" while leaving the "o."  One pegasos, two pegasoi.

So, when spelled "pegasus" like Hasbro does, the proper plural is in fact pegasi.

Anyway, have fun.

[Mirnyj]

Gotta love grammar!  I always thought that other types of plurals people use on the pegasus issue sounded a bit funny anyway.

[LadyMoondancer]

Pegasi also sounds cooler than pegasuses, which to my ear sounds awkward.

[Skeen]

If it's Latin, the plural wouldn't be pronounced "pegas-eye" it would be "pegas-ee."  If "pegasus" is male anyway.  Gotta love declining those nouns. 

[Al-1701]

If it's Latin, the plural wouldn't be pronounced "pegas-eye" it would be "pegas-ee."  If "pegasus" is male anyway.  Gotta love declining those nouns. 

Yeah.  Though, it is common in the English language to use the long "i" sound instead of the long "e" in Latin masculine plurals.  Though, fan fic writers might want to take note of this as it could be a matter of dialect.

Pegasos is a second declination in Greek, so Pegasus would be a second declination in Latin.

It should also be noted the stars making up the constellation Pegasus are referred to as Pegasi (insert Greek letter here) and there was a Corinthian coin depicting Pegasus called a pegasus and multiple were pegasi.

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Pegasus#Declension

[Lore-Lei]

If it's Latin, the plural wouldn't be pronounced "pegas-eye" it would be "pegas-ee."  If "pegasus" is male anyway.  Gotta love declining those nouns. 

It's funny, since pronouncing it as 'pegas-ee' was a habit I was trying to get rid of, without success. I always thought the 'pegas-eye' was the correct.

[Rainbowrific Renia]

Gotta love grammar!  I always thought that other types of plurals people use on the pegasus issue sounded a bit funny anyway.

Same! I've heard pegasuses before and I just go 

[BlushingBlue]

the stars making up the constellation Pegasus are referred to as Pegasi (insert Greek letter here)

Bayer designations, e.g. α Pegasi for the star Markab, use the genitive case of the constellation's name. In this instance, "Pegasi" is possessive, not plural.

Yay pedantry!

Pegasuses and pegasi both look odd to me. I personally prefer using "pegasus ponies". Πηγασοι is right out.

[scarletjul]

On the occasion when I've had to write pegausus in the plural, I've usually written "pegasi" but then spellcheck automatically tries to change it...  :/

[sd_dreamcrystal]

Hmmm this is interesting because I believe the Mythos for Pegasus was that there was only 1 and thus no plural.. At least that is what someone mentioned to me a few weeks ago

[Wildshadow]

I just go with how Danny said it in Spike's Search

[Al-1701]

I just go with how Danny said it in Spike's Search

I have too, and it is apparently proper.

There was only one Pegasus, but if you had multiple members of species named for him (which the ponies have), then you need a plural.