Can there be a plural of nemesis?

[SheilaWheeler]

I was talking to my dog the other day about his arch-nemesis, the old rattly school bus (okay, I don't talk to many grownups during the day) and wondered if he could have more than one nemesis.

And if he did, what would the plural be?

Okay, strange question I know but I was just interested. I expect the dog is too .......

[TotallyTopical]

Nemeses?

[SnowMuchToBits]

I would think Nemeses too.

[peanutMD]

Nemesis' just doesn't sound right does it?

How about Nemesi?

Failing that use the term 'arch enemy' instead :o

[peanutMD]

According to a quick Google the correct term is Nemeses

[LifeIsBetterInFlipFlops]

Nemo

[SheilaWheeler]

lunatic I like the idea of an AGM of nemeses gathered around discussing how arch they had been during the year, clutching a warm glass of cheap white wine!

The rattly old school bus could wheeze about how many times he had terrified that foolish springer. Dr Doofenschmirtz snorting about taking over the tri-state area. Moriarty discussing how the wrong actor had played him in Sherlock.

[JessieMcJessie]

I think that the very fact that there is a concept of an "arch nemesis" necessarily implies the possibility of more than one, because the "arch" nemesis is the worst of them all, no? Pretty sure the plural is "nemeses".

[JessieMcJessie]

PS I think it's third declension, like "civis".

[CaseyShraeger]

There is only one Nemesis (proper noun) but you can have multiple nemeses, I think.

[LRDtheFeministDude]

It's nemeses, but has anyone else got the bit in Buffy where Jonathan et al stalk across the room saying 'we are you are nemesis-sus-ses'?

[LesserOfTwoWeevils]

Nemeses. And it's not like civis, because it's Greek. So like basis, thesis etc.

[LRDtheFeministDude]

No, it is third declension in Latin, she's right. It's a Greek word in origin, but goes into the third declension when it's taken over into Latin.

It's third declension in Greek too.

(Disclaimer: I only know this because I looked it up on a hunch. I can't do grammar in either language.)

[LesserOfTwoWeevils]

I can do it in both. And was splitting hairs because after all this is Pedants' Corner

[LRDtheFeministDude]

So is it right, though?

This is like being in Latin class and having my teacher go off on a learned discussion of Greekified Latin verbs and so on while we all waited for her to tell us what we wanted to go - do we get the marks, miss?!

[JessieMcJessie]

Lesser, I bow to you. Is it just coincidence then that Latin words ending in "is" pluralise the same as Greek ones ending in "is"?

[MirandaGoshawk]

Oooh I hope Mary Beard is around. She'd love this discussion!

[LRDtheFeministDude]

She's busy with her OBE, innit.