'Dices' or 'Dice': What is the Correct Plural Word?

Have you been wondering if the plural form of the word ‘die’ is 'dices' or 'dice'? It can be a bit tricky to remember when you realize it doesn’t follow the standard English rules of pluralization.

The plural form of the word ‘die’ is ‘dice.’ ‘Dices’ is incorrect.

What’s the Right Way to Pluralize ‘Die’

Before we dive into how to make the word ‘die’ plural, let’s first define it.

Defining the Word ‘Die’

There are several Merriam-Webster definitions of ‘die,’ the first being: “to pass from physical life.”

Another is: “to pass out of existence.”

It can also mean: “To be overwhelmed by emotion.”

But in this case, it means: “a small cube marked on each face with from one to six spots and used usually in pairs in various games and in gambling by being shaken and thrown to come to rest at random on a flat surface – often used figuratively in expressions concerning chance or the irrevocability of a course of action.”

Can You Ever Use ‘Dices’ to Pluralize ‘Die’

It’s never correct to use ‘dices’ to pluralize the word ‘dice,’ as you learned above.

The correct way to pluralize the word ‘die’ is ‘dice.’

Using ‘Dice’ in a Sentence

Since you know what the words ‘die’ and ‘dice’ mean, we can move on to using it in a sentence.

Here are some examples of how to use the singular form of the word:

• What happened to the other die in my board game? (one ‘die’)?
• What happened to my dice? (two 'dice')

Here are some examples of how to use the plural form of the word:

• Roll the dice and see what happens (two or more ‘die’).
• We had at least three dice in this box.

Standard Rules of Noun Pluralization

It might seem confusing to use ‘dice’ as the plural form of the word ‘die’ because it doesn’t follow the standard rules for pluralizing nouns in the English language.

The standard rule for nouns is to add ‘s’ or ‘es’ when making the plural form of a word. You add ‘es’ when the singular noun ends in the letters ‘s,’ ‘ss,’ ‘ch,’ ‘x,’ or ‘z.’

For example:

• Friend > Friends
• Flower > Flowers
• Tux > Tuxes
• Touch > Touches

Words That Follow Non-Traditional Pluralization Rules

Some words change in pretty random ways, such as the following words:

• Wolf > Wolves
• Wife > Wives
• Knife > Knives
• Life > Lives
• Mouse > Mice
• Goose > Geese
• Foot > Feet
• Leaf > Leaves

Terms or Phrases Using ‘Die’ or ‘Dice’

There are some idioms that use the word ‘die’ or ‘dice.’ Some examples include:

• No dice! (no luck, no chance)
• No matter how the dice fall (regardless of how a situation unfolds)
• Roll the dice (an especially risky action undertaken to achieve a favorable but unlikely outcome)

‘Die’ Is and ‘Dice’ Are  

When making the plural form of the word ‘die,’ remember to make sure your subject agrees with your verb.

In other words, when using the singular form of the word, it would be followed by ‘is.’ Whereas if you’re using the plural form, you’d follow it up with the word ‘are.’

Final Thoughts on Using ‘Die’ and ‘Dice’

Similar to the word ‘mouse,’ the word ‘die,’ follows special spelling rules for pluralization. That means simply adding an ‘s’ or ‘es’ won’t do the trick.

Words like wife and goose can be tricky.

Need a refresher on confusing words? Browse our library of confusing English words and commonly misspelled words.