What Are the Plurals of ‘Ox’ and ‘Fox’? Why It’s ‘Oxen’ but ‘Foxes’

In the world of English grammar, few things confuse learners more than irregular plural forms. Take the words ox and fox, for example. Both are animal names, but their plurals couldn’t be more different: we say “oxen”, not “oxes,” yet we say “foxes”, not “foxen.” Why does English treat these words so differently?

The answer lies in the fascinating history of the English language. From Old English rules to modern linguistic evolution, the way we form plural nouns reflects centuries of shifting patterns. Understanding why “ox” becomes “oxen” and “fox” becomes “foxes” isn’t just grammar trivia—it’s a window into how language adapts and survives. Let’s dive into the logic and legacy behind these oddly paired plurals.

The Singular Forms: ‘Ox’ and ‘Fox’

Before we get into the grammar weeds, it’s important to understand what each word means and how it functions in modern English.

What Is an Ox?

An ox is a large, domesticated bovine, typically castrated and trained as a draft animal. Oxen have been used in agriculture for thousands of years to pull plows and carts.

• Scientific classification: Bos taurus
  
• Region: Global, often in rural or agricultural communities
  
• Purpose: Draft labor, meat production
  

“An ox is not just a cow—it’s a working animal that has shaped civilizations.” – Dr. Louise Connolly, Historical Linguist

What Is a Fox?

A fox is a small to medium-sized carnivorous mammal with a bushy tail, known for its intelligence and adaptability. It’s part of the Canidae family, which also includes dogs and wolves.

• Scientific classification: Vulpes vulpes (Red Fox, the most common)
  
• Region: Found in forests, deserts, mountains, and urban areas
  
• Symbolism: Cleverness, slyness
  

Though both words are animal names, the way they evolve in the plural form is where it gets fascinating.

The Plural of ‘Ox’ Is ‘Oxen’ — But Why?

At first glance, “oxen” feels like a weird outlier. But there’s a deep linguistic history behind it that goes all the way back to Old English.

The Origin of ‘Oxen’

The word “ox” comes from the Old English word “oxa”, and its plural was “oxan”, which later became “oxen.”

In Old English, nouns had multiple pluralization methods. The -en suffix was a common way to form the plural for strong nouns—especially those that referred to living things or important objects.

Other Words That Used to Take ‘-en’ Plurals

• Child → Children
  
• Brother → Brethren
  
• Cow → Kine (now obsolete)
  
• Hous → Housen (used in some Middle English dialects)
  

These forms were standard in Old and Middle English, but most were lost over time. Oxen and children are among the few survivors.

“Oxen is one of the few fossil plurals in Modern English—a remnant of a grammatical system long gone.” – David Crystal, Linguist

Why “Oxes” Is Incorrect

While “oxes” might sound right based on regular rules (like “boxes”), it’s not accepted in standard grammar. “Oxen” is the only correct plural in formal writing and speech.

Real World Usage of “Oxen”

• Biblical Texts: “Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.”
  
• Farming Manuals: “The pair of oxen were yoked for plowing.”

The Plural of ‘Fox’ Is ‘Foxes’ — Here’s Why

Now let’s turn to fox, a word that plays by modern English rules.

Standard Pluralization with -es

In English, nouns that end in -s, -x, -z, -sh, or -ch typically take an -es ending for their plural. This helps with pronunciation and avoids awkward consonant clusters.

So:

• Bus → Buses
  
• Box → Boxes
  
• Match → Matches
  
• Fox → Foxes
  

The Rule in Action

“Foxes” is both phonetically and grammatically correct. Saying “foxs” would be difficult to pronounce and sound unnatural.

Why Not “Foxen”?

While “foxen” might sound like a playful nod to “oxen,” it’s not historically accurate. “Fox” never used the -en plural because it entered the English language as a weak noun, which followed different grammar rules than “ox.”

Oxen vs. Foxes: A Grammar Comparison

Let’s look at the two side by side.

Word	Singular	Plural	Rule Used	Type
Ox	Ox	Oxen	Irregular (-en)	Strong noun
Fox	Fox	Foxes	Regular (-es)	Weak noun

Morphological Differences

• Oxen shows a surviving fossil plural, a grammatical pattern from an older stage of English.
  
• Foxes follows modern English plural rules based on pronunciation ease and regularity.

Historical Context: Strong vs. Weak Nouns

• Strong nouns: Used vowel changes or suffixes like -en to mark plural
  
• Weak nouns: Simply added -s or -es

Etymology Spotlight: Why ‘Oxen’ Survived and ‘Foxen’ Didn’t

Let’s dig deeper into why “oxen” persisted while “foxen” faded—or never even existed.

Linguistic Survival

• Frequency of Use: “Ox” was a high-frequency word in agrarian societies. Important nouns tend to preserve irregularities.
  
• Religious and Literary Influence: The Bible and classic texts used “oxen,” reinforcing it for generations.
  
• Lack of Need to Regularize: Because “oxen” was widely understood, there was no pressure to regularize it like “childs” or “brothers.”

Why “Foxen” Didn’t Emerge

• “Fox” was less central in daily agricultural life.
  
• It followed a different grammatical class from the beginning.
  
• There was no cultural or religious reinforcement of a special plural form.

“Language change often follows the path of least resistance. Irregular forms like ‘oxen’ only survive when they’re deeply rooted in culture.” – John McWhorter, Linguist and Author

Fun Facts & Common Misconceptions

Here are some interesting facts and common grammar myths about oxen and foxes:

Fun Facts

• In Minecraft, typing /summon minecraft:oxen won’t work—it’s not a mob. But foxes are!
  
• The phrase “strong as an ox” is still widely used.
  
• “Foxen” has been used jokingly in fantasy or dialect-inspired writing (but it’s never correct).

Misconceptions

• Myth: You can say “oxes.”
  Truth: Always use “oxen.”
  
• Myth: “Foxen” is the old plural form of fox.
  Truth: It never was.
  
• Myth: “Ox” and “bull” are the same.
  Truth: An ox is a castrated male bovine trained for work. A bull is intact and often used for breeding.

Quick Reference Table: Ox vs. Fox

Feature	Ox	Fox
Singular	Ox	Fox
Plural	Oxen	Foxes
Plural Type	Irregular (-en)	Regular (-es)
Etymology	Old English “oxa” → “oxen”	Old English “fox” → “foxes”
Usage Context	Agriculture, religion, history	Nature, storytelling
Common Mistakes	“Oxes” (incorrect)	“Foxen” (incorrect)

Conclusion: Why These Plurals Still Matter

Understanding why we say “oxen” but “foxes” offers more than just a grammar lesson—it reveals the rich layers of language history embedded in everyday words. While ox follows an ancient pattern of irregular pluralization, fox fits neatly into the modern English rulebook for plural nouns. These differences highlight how the evolution of English has preserved some old forms while allowing others to standardize.

FAQs:

1. Why is oxen the plural of ox?

The word “oxen” comes from Old English, where the -en ending was used to form plurals of certain nouns. While most plural forms now end in -s or -es, “oxen” is a rare irregular plural that survived from early English grammar.

2. Why isn’t the plural of fox “foxen”?

“Foxen” isn’t correct because fox didn’t belong to the noun class that used -en plurals in Old English. It was always treated as a regular noun, so it naturally followed the rule of adding -es to make it plural.

3. Why is the plural of fox “foxes”?

The word fox ends in a sibilant sound (/ks/), so by modern English grammar rules, it takes -es in the plural form. This makes it easier to pronounce and follows the same pattern as boxes or watches.

4. What is the plural of ox and fox?

The plural of ox is oxen, an irregular form from Old English. The plural of fox is foxes, a regular noun following modern pluralization rules. Both words reflect different periods in English language evolution.

5. How to write fox plural?

To make “fox” plural, simply add -es to form “foxes.” This is the grammatically correct and widely accepted way based on standard English spelling rules.