Plural of Cod
Use “cod” for both singular and plural when referring to the fish or its meat in ordinary usage. The invariant plural makes “cod” a non-trivial number-form case rather than an ordinary add-s plural.
Use “cod” for both singular and plural when referring to the fish or its meat in ordinary usage.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Form / construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| one fish | one cod | Use the unchanged noun after a singular determiner or number. |
| more than one fish | two/several cod | Use “cod” as the ordinary plural too. |
| the fish as food or meat | cod | The same noun is used without mechanically adding -s. |
Quick tests
Meaning / construction test
Are you pluralizing the ordinary noun for the fish?
If yes: Keep the form “cod”: one cod, several cod.
If no: For a specialized taxonomic or unrelated sense, follow the convention for that sense instead of assuming the ordinary fish pattern.
Examples
A cod was swimming near the reef.
The singular fish noun is “cod.”
They counted five cod near the boat.
The ordinary plural keeps the same form.
We ordered cod for dinner.
The food sense also uses “cod” without a mechanical plural ending.
Further guidance
Core difference
Use “cod” for both singular and plural when referring to the fish or its meat in ordinary usage.
Fast Test
Do not infer an -s plural mechanically from the spelling; specialized taxonomic or non-fish senses can follow their own conventions.
Usage Boundary
The invariant plural makes “cod” a non-trivial number-form case rather than an ordinary add-s plural.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Cod — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Direct dictionary evidence that the fish noun cod has invariant plural cod.