For some reason, this blog has become a highly-ranked search result for people who want to know the plural of the word “impetus.”
According to Oxford, it’s “impetuses.” We aim to please.
Ruminations about hermeneutics, theology, theory, politics, ecclesiastical life… and exercise.
I’ve been getting numerous referral from searches for “foot models” and, more oddly, “lobster genitals.” I wonder about the IMPETUSES of curiousity about the latter. (See what I did there?)
How interesting the web can be. I feel I have achieved Illumination
Well, thank you very much–that’s exactly how I came to find your blog just now.
My impetus was also to find its plural form… and you’ve served me well. Thanks.
Success! Thanks.
Ditto.
Appreciate this, I do.
Impetii.
It might look wrong but that’s because its not much used. But its part of my language and I use it.
Now that you’ve seen it, when you look again it won’t look wrong; and impetuses will seem unwieldy and clumsy. Impetii has such a nice lift to it.
Peter, I’m a recovering prescriptivist, with hankerings for the good old days when I didn’t understand why that wasn’t a responsible outlook, but I can see no prospect for ‘impetii’ catching on.
Find me in a few decades (or dance on my grave, if you’re young enough) and scold my error, but I think ‘impetuses’ wins the day. On the other hand, I’m not going to correct you if I read something you’ve written and find ‘impetii’ there.