What’s the plural of “shelf”?
- The plural of shelf is shelves.
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Shelves (pl. n.) is the only recognized plural form. Shelfs is incorrect, and appears unrecognized in English.
Shelf originates from German; unsurprisingly, so do the other irregular plurals within its same category (i.e., irregular plurals that end in -f/-fe.), calf, hoof, scarf, and so on, each substitutes the -f/-fe in the singular with the -ves to switch to a plural.
What’s a “shelf”?
As a matter of course, we define subject topics first. A shelf: “a thin, flat length of wood, metal, etc. fixed horizontally at right angles to a wall and used for holding things.”
Nouns that end in -f/-fe and -ves
Keep in mind, not all nouns follow the same plural patterns. Several nouns ending in -f do not swtich to -ves as a plural, some examples are roof, cliff, and chief, each of which simply add an -s.
Sentence examples: shelf/shelves
| Noun: shelf | Example sentences |
|---|---|
| shelf (singular) |
She placed the new vase on the highest shelf. A dusty shelf held a stack of old magazines. He reached up to straighten the picture frame on the shelf. |
| shelves (plural) |
The bookstore rearranged the shelves to feature summer reads. Please return the plates to the top shelves. The garage shelves were stocked with paint cans and tools. |
Synonyms & nearby words
Synonyms for shelf
Origin of “shelf”
Middle Low German schelf “shelf, set of shelves,” or perhaps from Old English cognate scylfe, which could have meant “shelf, ledge, floor” (the sense is uncertain), and scylf “peak, pinnacle,” from Proto-Germanic *skelf- “split”.
Practice: Shelf plural or singular
He installed new ______ in the garage to organize his tools.
Please put the book back on the top ______.
The grocery store ______ were fully stocked with produce.
I need to dust that dusty old ______ in the corner.
The library has miles of ______ filled with books.
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