s

1 of 7

noun

ˈes 

variants often S

plural s's or ss ˈe-səz 

often attributive

1

a

: the 19th letter of the English alphabet

b

: a graphic representation of this letter

c

: a speech counterpart of orthographic s

2

: a graphic device for reproducing the letter s

3

: one designated s especially as the 19th in order or class

4

[abbreviation for satisfactory]

a

: a grade rating a student's work as satisfactory

b

: one graded or rated with an S

5

: something shaped like the letter S

s

2 of 7

abbreviation (1)

1

Sabbath

2

saint

3

schilling

4

scruple

5

second; secondary

6

section

7

senate

8

series

9

shilling

10

[Latin signa] label

11

siemens

12

signor

13

sine

14

singular

15

small

16

smooth

17

snow

18

society

19

son

20

sou

21

south; southern

22

strange

23

subject

24

symmetrical

S

3 of 7

abbreviation (2)

1

satisfactory

2

short

3

standard deviation of a sample

4

svedberg

S

4 of 7

symbol

sulfur

-s

5 of 7

plural noun suffix

after a voiceless consonant s,

after a voiced consonant or a vowel z

—used to form the plural of most nouns that do not end in s, z, sh, ch, or postconsonantal y,

heads

books

boys

beliefs

to form the plural of proper nouns that end in postconsonantal y,

Marys

and with or without a preceding apostrophe to form the plural of abbreviations, numbers, letters, and symbols used as nouns

MCs

PhD's

4s

the 1940's

$s

B's

compare -es entry 1

-s

6 of 7

adverb suffix

—used to form adverbs denoting usual or repeated action or state

always at home Sundays

mornings he stops by the newsstand

-s

7 of 7

verb suffix

—used to form the third person singular present of most verbs that do not end in s, z, sh, ch, or postconsonantal y

falls

takes

plays

compare -es entry 2

Examples of s in a Sentence

Noun

a word that starts with an s

a word that starts with s

Word History

Etymology

Plural noun suffix

Middle English -es, -s, from Old English -as, nominative & accusative plural ending of some masculine nouns; akin to Old Saxon -os

Adverb suffix

Middle English -es, -s, plural ending of nouns, from -es, genitive singular ending of nouns (functioning adverbially), from Old English -es

Verb suffix

Middle English (Northern & North Midland dialect) -es, from Old English (Northumbrian dialect) -es, -as, probably from Old English -es, -as, 2nd singular present indicative ending — more at -est

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

s

1 of 4 noun

ˈes

often capitalized

1

: the 19th letter of the English alphabet

2

: a grade rating a student's work as satisfactory

-s

2 of 4 noun plural suffix

s,

 after a voiceless consonant sound,  z,

 after a voiced consonant sound or a vowel sound 

—used to form the plural of most nouns that do not end in s, z, sh, or ch or in y following a consonant

heads

books

boys

beliefs

, to form the plural of proper nouns that end in y following a consonant

Marys

, and with or without a preceding apostrophe to form the plural of abbreviations, numbers, letters, and symbols used as nouns

MCs

4s

#s

B's

-s

3 of 4 adverb suffix

—used to form adverbs indicating usual or repeated action or state

at home Sundays

shops mornings

-s

4 of 4 verb suffix

—used to form the third person singular present of most verbs that do not end in s, z, sh, or ch or in y following a consonant

falls

takes

plays

Etymology

Noun plural suffix

derived from Old English -as, an ending on plural nouns

Medical Definition

S

1 of 2 abbreviation

1

sacral

—used especially with a number from 1 to 5 to indicate a vertebra or segment of the spinal cord in the sacral region

the relative length of cord segments S1 to S5

2

signa

—used to introduce the signature in writing a prescription

3

smooth

—used of bacterial colonies

4

subject

5

svedberg

S

2 of 2 symbol

sulfur