Plural of Plaice
For the fish, “plaice” has an invariant plural: one plaice, several plaice. The noun can also be used uncountably for the fish as food. The practical decision is to separate number from countability instead of adding a new plural ending.
The plural of “plaice” is “plaice.” When the word refers to the fish as food, it can also be uncountable, so the same spelling may reflect plural number or a mass-food use.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Form / construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| more than one fish | several plaice | Use invariant plural “plaice.” |
| fish as food | some plaice | Use the uncountable food construction when appropriate. |
| attempted regular plural | plaices | Avoid as the ordinary plural in this sense. |
Quick tests
Plural-choice test
Are you counting individual plaice?
If yes: Use the unchanged plural “plaice.”
If no: If you mean the food, an uncountable construction such as “some plaice” may fit.
Caveat: The guide is about number/countability only; it does not generalize a rule to other fish names.
Examples
Three plaice were measured and released.
The countable fish sense uses invariant plural “plaice.”
We ordered plaice for dinner.
Here the fish name works as an uncountable food noun.
Several plaice were visible in the tank.
The noun stays unchanged after a plural quantity.
Further guidance
Core difference
Use “plaice” for more than one fish. In a food context, “plaice” may instead be an uncountable food noun.
Fast Test
Ask whether you are counting individual fish or naming the food. In either case the spelling remains “plaice,” but the grammar around it changes.
Usage Boundary
Do not turn a countability distinction into a species guide or assume that every fish noun behaves the same way.
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.
- PLAICE | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Cambridge marks plaice countable or uncountable and gives plural plaice, supporting invariant fish-number grammar and a fish-versus-food boundary.