What’s the plural of “memorandum”?
A memorandum (more commonly referred to as a memo for short) are “short messages or records used for internal communication in a business”. The original plural of memorandum, which comes from Latin, is memoranda. Now, both memoranda and memorandums are accepted as the plural of memorandum. Informally, memos is also acceptable as the plural of memorandum.
Latin nouns that end in –on/-um and -a:
Memorandum comes from the Latin word of the same form, i.e., memorandum, meaning “(thing) to be remembered,” and is rooted in the Latin word memorare “to call to mind”. Memorandum uses distinct Latinate suffixes, which immediately gives away its language of origin.
For the most part, words in English that use -on/-um in the singular (think curriculum, referendum, addendum, and so on) convert to –a as a plural noun form. This is characteristic of Latin word origin, and memoranda/memorandum are an example of this modification from singular to plural.
Though memorandum is not the only word/noun in English that has conserved its original Latin form, most other Latinate plurals (memoranda, symposia, curricula, and so on) are becoming less common relative to the standard English pl. n. modification of adding an -s/-es.
| singular | plural |
| colloquium | colloquia or colloquiums |
| referendum | referenda or referendums |
| memorandum | memoranda or memorandums |
| curriculum | curricula or curriculums |
| addendum | addenda or addendums |
| symposium | symposia or symposiums |
To that extent, memorandums, which is the modern pluralization that uses the regular pl. noun. form, is accepted as a plural. Which plural form to use on a personal level is up to the individual, we provide the facts (choose whichever suits you best).
Examples of memorandum used in context
The following sentences show the correct use of the word memorandum in context:
1. The company president sent a memorandum to every employee.
2. I am ordered to write a memorandum explaining why we are not advancing.
3. The latter becomes a mere memorandum or formula of registration.
4. Its use, then, can only be as a memorandum.
5. Memos are short for interoffice memorandum.
Examples of memoranda used in context
The following sentences show the correct use of the word memoranda in context:
1. Carriers were forbidden to keep any accounts, records or memoranda other than those approved by the Commission.
2. A collection of his diaries, correspondence and memoranda is in the British Museum.
3. For a generation or two the books so put together were handed down by memory, though probably written memoranda were also used.
4. Besides the published writings, there are several memoranda, letters, rough drafts, &c., in the Shaftesbury papers in the Record Office.
5. From time to time he forwarded memoranda to him, and in 1680 he began to promise the “Minutes for Lives,” which Wood was to use at his discretion.
Synonyms of memorandum
- memo
- letter
- announcements
- notices
- directive
Origin of the word memorandum
From etymonline on memorandum:
Something) to be remembered,” a note of something to be remembered for future reference or consideration, from Latin memorandum “(thing) to be remembered.
What’s the difference between they’re, their, and there?
Sources
- Definition of memorandum.
- Sentence examples memorandum.
- Synonyms for memorandum.
- Origin of memorandum.
