Fora Is the Latin Plural of Forum
Fora are public meeting places or discussion groups. English keeps the Latin plural alongside the regular one.
Fora is the Latin plural of *forum*, a public square or meeting place. English accepts both *fora* and *forums*, with the Latin form preferred in formal and academic writing and the English one everywhere else. The split is typical: *data* and *criteria* keep their Latin plurals, while *stadiums* and *museums* long ago went regular. The Roman forum was a marketplace that became a civic and legal centre, which is why *forensic* means belonging to the forum, that is, to the courts.
- Public squares. *The Roman fora.*
- Discussion groups. *Online fora.*
- Forum — the singular. *A forum.*
- Forensic — of the forum. *Forensic.*
- Latin — *forum*. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Plural | fora | Fora. |
| Plural | forums | Forums. |
| Singular | forum | A forum. |
| Related | forensic | Forensic. |
| Latin | forum | A marketplace. |
- The imperial fora lie in ruins.Rome.
- International fora discussed it.Formal.
- Forensic means of the forum.Etymology.
Latin plurals in English
- Forum — fora or forums, both accepted
- Datum — data, now usually treated as singular
- Criterion — criteria, and the singular is often misused
- Stadium — stadiums, having gone fully regular
- Octopus — octopuses, since the word is Greek, not Latin
Latin *fora*, plural of *forum*, an open space or marketplace.
Is it fora or forums?
Both are correct. Fora is preferred in formal and academic writing, forums in general use.
Why does forensic come from forum?
Because legal cases were argued in the Roman forum. Forensic means belonging to the courts.