The word bacteria is already a plural form. It is the plural of the singular noun bacterium.
Explanation of “Bacteria” and “Bacterium”
- Bacterium refers to a single microorganism belonging to the kingdom of prokaryotic organisms, which can exist as a single cell or in chains or clusters.
- Bacteria is used to describe multiple such microorganisms.
For example:
- Singular: “The bacterium is causing the infection.”
- Plural: “The bacteria are causing various infections.”
Common Misuse of “Bacteria”
While bacteria is the plural form of bacterium, it’s commonly used in everyday language to refer to a single entity. However, in scientific contexts, it is important to use bacterium when talking about one, and bacteria for more than one.
Conclusion
- The correct singular form is bacterium.
- The plural form is bacteria.
Therefore, the plural of “bacterium” is “bacteria.” The word bacteria is already a plural form, it is the plural of the singular noun bacterium.