Multiple plurals of the word "die"

Question

I see that the Oxford dictionary has a plural dice for "a small cube with a different number of spots on each of its sides, used in games of chance". However, there is no plural listed for "a block with a special shape that is used for shaping pieces of metal" (both definitions summarized).

Researchgate has a photograph of "Two dies arranged side-by-side".

Is dies the correct plural of this meaning of die? Why do the two meanings have different plurals? Which was in use first?

You have two words here that look and sound the same. Not the same word with two meanings. I can and tin can, too. — Yosef Baskin, Jul 14 '23 at 19:26
Does this answer your question? Singular of "dice". Also Why do some people pedantically cling to dying word forms (e.g. die, oxen)? and More dice and die confusion — FumbleFingers, Jul 14 '23 at 20:55
The claimed duplicates neither directly query nor answer about the use of 'dies' not 'dice' as the plural of the 'tap and die' sense of 'die'. — Edwin Ashworth, Jul 15 '23 at 11:29
Why do we use flied for baseballs and flew for birds? Why do we used hanged for people and hung for things? Why do we use leaves for those things that fall off trees and Leafs for hockey players? Why do we use foci for the points in ellipses and focuses for topics under discussion? Because language is irregular. — Peter Shor, Jul 16 '23 at 12:26
@PeterShor - language is irregular for a number of reasons. Trying to understand when and where irregularities appeared is part of our job, I think. — user 66974, Jul 16 '23 at 16:24
@user66974 The most common reason is that irregular forms are historic traditions. When new formations are created, we usually adopt regular forms for them. I'll bet the "tool and die" sense is much newer than the "throwing dice" form. — Barmar, Jul 24 '23 at 21:32
@Barmar - that what I’ve been trying to say, but there are users who just reply “that’s English, darling” and are happy with that. — user 66974, Jul 25 '23 at 09:42
There are several words with multiple alternative plurals. Sometimes a particular form is preferred in a particular context as with indices vs indexes. The explanation is basically the linguistic equivalent of Brownian motion, which may or may not be interesting to different people. — Stuart F, Aug 21 '23 at 12:17

score -3 · Answer 1 · answered Aug 20 '23 at 19:43

-3

They are not 'multiple plurals of the word "die",' nor anything like that, any more than either of those nouns has to do with the verb 'die' as in 'cease to live'.

How sure are you that Oxford actually has a plural 'dice' for 'a small cube…' rather than 'small cubes'?

Which other dictionaries listed no plural for 'a block… used to shape things'?

FYI the small cubes are so commonly pluralised as 'dice' that many, if not most native speakers think there is no separate singular term. That one cube is 'a dice.'

Quite separately plural shaping blocks are, 'dies' and the differences between the nouns - and the verb - prolly stem from which has French, German or Latin origins.

answered Aug 20 '23 at 19:43

Robbie Goodwin

2,564

-1: This answer shows no research whatsoever. They all have the same origin, from the French word de (dé in modern French). And the word for "block used to cast things" originated in English from the word for "gambling cube". – Peter Shor Aug 20 '23 at 21:22
PeterShor Thank you so much, and how could that matter here? Do you reallydoubt that whatever their roots or routes, they are not 'multiple plurals of the word "die",' nor anything like that, any more than either of those nouns has to do with the verb 'die' as in 'cease to live'? – Robbie Goodwin Aug 21 '23 at 18:16
What I'm doubting is that the difference between the nouns "prolly stem from which has French, German, or Latin origins". Both nouns derive from the same French word. – Peter Shor Aug 21 '23 at 18:21
PeterShor How could those doubts matter, in the context of the Question?
I tried to make that Answer as general as I could, suggesting some vague difference among routes from French, German or Latin roots. I think that view both valid and so vague it's not worthy of challenge.

If you want 'routes' instead of 'roots,' just say the word!

If you'd like to explain in detail the route by which both nouns derive from the same French word yet arrive at different meanings in modern English, please do.

If you'd like to explain how either noun differs from the modern English verb, please do.
– Robbie Goodwin Aug 21 '23 at 18:39

Multiple plurals of the word "die"

1 Answers1