Whats the Plural of Codex: Understanding Multiple Codices

Codex, Codices, Codexes — See the Pattern

Look at these sentences. Can you see the pattern?

• The museum has one ancient codex from Rome.
• Researchers found three codices in the old library.
• The university keeps several codexes in a safe room.
• Many codices were written by hand hundreds of years ago.

Did you notice? For one, you say codex. For more than one, you can say codices or codexes.

Why Codex Has Two Plural Forms

The word codex comes from Latin. A codex is a very old book, made by hand and written on paper or animal skin. In Latin, words that end in -ex change to -ices in the plural:

• codex → codices
• vortex → vortices
• index → indices

But in English, you can also just add -es to the end:

• codex → codexes

Both are correct. Most people use codices in writing and in school. Codexes is more common in everyday speech. You cannot go wrong with either one.

Easy way to remember: Think of the word “index.” You can say “indexes” or “indices.” Codex works the same way.

Real-Life Examples With Codex and Codices

Here are sentences you might hear or read in real life:

• The library has an ancient codex from the year 1200. (= one old book)
• The Vatican keeps some of the oldest codices in the world. (= many old books)
• A Mayan codex can tell us how people lived long ago. (= one book from the Maya people)
• Historians study codices to learn about the past. (= many old books)
• The museum showed three codexes from medieval Europe. (= more than one, everyday English)

You are doing great. Now let us look at the mistakes many learners make.

Two Mistakes to Avoid With Codex

Even advanced learners get confused by Latin plurals — so if you mix these up, you are not alone. Here are the two most common mistakes:

Mistake 1: Adding just -s

Some learners write “codexs” — just adding an -s. But that is not correct. You need to add -es (codexes) or change the ending to -ices (codices).

Mistake 2: Using “codex” as a plural

Some learners say “many codex” instead of “many codices.” The word codex is only for one. For more than one, you must change the form.

How to remember: The ending changes — just like “box” becomes “boxes,” not “boxs.” And just like “index” becomes “indices,” codex becomes codices.

Other words like this: vortex → vortices, vertex → vertices, apex → apices. They all follow the same Latin pattern.

Test Yourself: Codex, Codices, or Codexes?

Choose the correct answer for each sentence. Click Check to see if you are right.

Keep Going — You Are Building Something

You just learned the plural of codex. That is one more tricky plural you will never get wrong again.

But codex is not the only Latin word that ends in -ex and changes to -ices. Do you know the plural of apex? Is it “apexes” or “apices”? And when would you use each one? (The answer is not what most people expect.)

Next lesson: What’s the Plural of Apex?

Source

Etymology of codex — Online Etymology Dictionary

Codex Sinaiticus — Encyclopaedia Britannica