broken plural

noun

An irregular plural formed by changing the pattern of consonants and vowels inside the singular form, found in the Semitic languages and other Afroasiatic languages such as Berber. An example in Arabic is مَكَاتِب (makātib, “desks”), the plural form of مَكْتَب (maktab, “desk”).

Opposite
sound plural
OriginArabic جَمْع مُكَسَّر →
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Meanings

nounbroken plural (plural broken plurals)

plural broken plurals

  1. An irregular plural formed by changing the pattern of consonants and vowels inside the singular form, found in the Semitic languages and other Afroasiatic languages such as Berber. An example in Arabic is مَكَاتِب (makātib, “desks”), the plural form of مَكْتَب (maktab, “desk”).

    Antonyms: sound plural

Synonyms & antonyms

nounAn irregular plural formed by changing the pattern of consonants and vowels inside the singular form, found in the Semitic languages and other Afroasiatic languages such as Berber. An example in Arabic is مَكَاتِب (makātib, “desks”), the plural form of مَكْتَب (maktab, “desk”).

Opposite
sound plural

Origin

  1. Arabicجَمْع مُكَسَّر
  2. Englishbroken plural

Calque of Arabic جَمْع مُكَسَّر (jamʕ mukassar).

More words from Arabic

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic جَمْع تَكْسِير, جَمْع مُكَسَّر
  • جَمْع تَكْسِير (jamʕ taksīr)in Arabic and other languages, irregular plural formed by changing the pattern of consonants and vowels
  • جَمْع مُكَسَّر (jamʕ mukassar)in Arabic and other languages, irregular plural formed by changing the pattern of consonants and vowels
French pluriel brisé, pluriel interne
  • pluriel briséin Arabic and other languages, irregular plural formed by changing the pattern of consonants and vowels
  • pluriel internein Arabic and other languages, irregular plural formed by changing the pattern of consonants and vowels
German gebrochener Plural
  • gebrochener Pluralin Arabic and other languages, irregular plural formed by changing the pattern of consonants and vowels
Italian plurale fratto
  • plurale frattoin Arabic and other languages, irregular plural formed by changing the pattern of consonants and vowels
Cite this entry
APA

broken plural. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/broken%20plural

MLA

“broken plural.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/broken%20plural. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “broken plural,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/broken%20plural.

Source: broken plural on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.