The plurals of words ending in -o are formed by either adding -s or by adding -es. The plurals of many words can be formed either way. To determine whether a particular word ends in -s or -es (or if the word can be spelled either way), check your the list below and if you have to check your dictionary. There are two helpful rules:
a. All words that end in a vowel plus -o (-ao, -eo, -io, -oo, -uo) have plurals that end in just -s:
  • stereo--stereos
  • studio--studios
  • duo--duos

b. All musical terms ending in -o have plurals ending in just -s.

  • piano--pianos
  • cello--cellos (I have been told that the plural for cello is actually, celli)
  • solo--solos

c. Plural forms of words ending in -o:

-os
-oes
-os or -oes
albinos
armadillos
autos
bravos
broncos
cantos
casinos
combos
gazebos
infernos
kimonos
logos
maraschinos
ponchos
sombreros
tacos
torsos
tobaccos
typos
echoes
embargoes
heroes
Negroes
potatoes
tomatoes
torpedoes
vetoes
avocados/oes
buffaloes/os
cargoes/os
desperadoes/os
dodoes/os
dominoes/os
ghettos/oes
grottoes/os
hoboes/os
innuendoes/os
Purdue University Writing Lab 2000