The plural of memorandum is memoranda or memorandums. Both forms are grammatically correct: memoranda preserves the word’s Latin-derived plural, while memorandums uses the standard English plural ending and is common in modern business writing.
Key Facts at a Glance
- Memorandum is the singular form.
- Memoranda is the traditional Latin-derived plural.
- Memorandums is the regular English plural.
- Memos is the accepted plural of the abbreviation memo.
- Legal, academic, and formal institutional writing often favors memoranda, but usage is not universally mandatory.
- Use a plural verb with both plural forms: “The memoranda were filed.”
What Does Memorandum Mean?
A memorandum is a written record or communication, usually created for a defined audience and purpose. In an organization, a memorandum may announce a policy, document a decision, summarize research, request action, or analyze a legal issue.
The word comes from the Latin memorandum, meaning “something to be remembered.” In modern English, the full word often describes a formal document, while memo usually describes a shorter internal communication. The two words overlap, but they do not always carry the same tone.
A memorandum can be distributed vertically, from management to employees or from staff to executives, and horizontally between departments. Unlike a conversation, the document creates a retrievable written record that can be stored in an archive, case file, records-management system, or email repository.
The word’s meaning depends on context. A legal memorandum analyzes a legal question. A policy memorandum recommends or explains government action. A workplace memo may simply announce a revised office schedule. The plural forms remain the same across these contexts.
Memorandum, Memo, and Memorandum of Understanding
These related terms describe different things:
| Term | Singular meaning | Typical audience | Common plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| memorandum | Formal written communication | Organization, court, university | memoranda, memorandums |
| memo | Shortened workplace document | Employees, managers, departments | memos |
| legal memorandum | Legal analysis document | Attorneys, judges, clients | legal memoranda |
| memorandum of understanding | Agreement recording shared intentions | Governments, companies, institutions | memoranda of understanding |
| policy memorandum | Policy analysis or recommendation | Public officials, administrators | policy memoranda |
A memorandum of understanding, often abbreviated MOU, is not simply another name for an ordinary office memo. An MOU records the terms or intentions shared by two or more parties. Its plural is usually memoranda of understanding, although some organizations use memorandums of understanding.
Whats the Plural of Memorandum?
The correct plural forms are memoranda and memorandums. Writers should choose between them according to audience, field, and house style, not because one form is grammatically valid and the other is not.
| Form | Grammatical status | Register | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| memorandum | Singular noun | Formal or general | “The director approved one memorandum.” |
| memoranda | Plural noun | Traditional, formal | “The committee reviewed four memoranda.” |
| memorandums | Plural noun | Modern, general English | “The department issued two memorandums.” |
| memo | Singular abbreviation | Informal or workplace | “Please send one memo.” |
| memos | Plural abbreviation | Informal or workplace | “The team circulated three memos.” |
The Latin-derived form often sounds more formal because many English nouns ending in -um traditionally form plurals in -a, as in medium/media and curriculum/curricula. That pattern does not force every English writer to use the Latin form. English regularly absorbs foreign nouns and gives them ordinary English plurals.
The practical rule is simple: use memoranda when the document or institution has a formal, legal, academic, or traditional register; use memorandums when plain modern English is the priority. When brevity matters, use memos.
Is Memoranda More Correct Than Memorandums?
Memoranda is not more grammatically correct than memorandums. Memoranda is the older, Latin-derived form, while memorandums is a fully established English plural formed with the productive suffix -s.
Dictionaries commonly recognize both forms. The distinction is primarily one of style and frequency within a particular profession. A law firm may prefer memoranda because the form is conventional in legal research. A technology company may choose memorandums because employees find it more immediately readable.
An editor should not “correct” memorandums to memoranda without checking the publication’s style. Consistency matters more than displaying Latin knowledge. A report that uses memoranda in one section and memorandums in another can look poorly edited unless the distinction reflects different document types.
Why Are There Two Plurals?
English has two plurals because memorandum entered English from Latin, but English speakers also apply the ordinary plural ending -s. Both historical borrowing and native English grammar remain active in the modern language.
In Latin, memorandum is a neuter singular gerundive used as a noun. The traditional plural is memoranda. English retained that pattern in formal usage, especially in learned, legal, and academic contexts. English also treats many borrowed words as ordinary English nouns, producing forms such as memorandums.
The same competition appears in other borrowed terms, although the accepted outcomes vary by word and field:
| Singular | Traditional or borrowed plural | English plural | Typical modern note |
|---|---|---|---|
| memorandum | memoranda | memorandums | Both are standard |
| forum | fora | forums | Forums is common online |
| stadium | stadia | stadiums | Stadiums is common general English |
| syllabus | syllabi | syllabuses | Both appear in education |
| appendix | appendices | appendixes | Meaning and field can affect choice |
| index | indices | indexes | Indices is common in technical contexts |
The comparison does not mean every noun permits two interchangeable plurals. Each word has its own established usage. For memorandum, however, major English usage recognizes both memoranda and memorandums.
Which Plural Should You Use in Legal Writing?
Use memoranda as the default in legal writing when the jurisdiction, firm, court, or style guide follows traditional legal usage. Use memorandums when a court, client, publication, or institutional style explicitly prefers plain-English forms.
Legal writing often uses phrases such as legal memoranda, memoranda of law, and memoranda in support of the motion. These expressions are conventional, so memoranda will usually sound most natural to attorneys, law students, and court readers.
The claim that legal writing must “almost exclusively” use memoranda is too absolute. Legal documents are governed by local rules, court forms, firm conventions, and editorial policies. Some legal publishers and government offices prefer regularized English plurals to reduce unnecessary formality.
| Legal context | Preferred default | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Law-school assignment | memoranda | “Submit two memoranda by Friday.” |
| Law-firm research file | memoranda | “The associate drafted three memoranda.” |
| Court filing title | Local convention | “Memorandum in support” is singular |
| Client-facing plain-English report | memoranda or memorandums | “The client received two memorandums.” |
| Federal or state agency | Agency style guide | “Policy memoranda” is common |
The most important legal distinction is not the plural ending. It is whether the document is a memorandum in support, a memorandum of law, a bench memorandum, or another defined document type. Check the governing template before changing terminology.
Which Plural Fits Business and Academic Writing?
Memorandums fits many modern business contexts, while memoranda remains common in academic and institutional writing. Neither choice is inherently unprofessional, but the audience’s expectations should determine the register.
A business team that calls internal communications memos will usually write “the managers sent five memos,” not “the managers sent five memoranda.” A university committee, research group, or public administration department may choose memoranda because its documents are formal records.
Academic style guides do not impose one universal answer for every use of the noun. A thesis, journal article, university policy, or archive description may follow a local editorial manual. Writers should inspect nearby terminology and preserve the publication’s established pattern.
| Writing situation | Natural choice | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Internal staff announcement | memos | Short and familiar |
| Corporate compliance record | memoranda or memorandums | Formality depends on policy |
| University committee record | memoranda | Institutional register |
| Research methods archive | memoranda | Document classification language |
| Startup team message | memos | Conversational workplace tone |
| Public policy analysis | policy memoranda | Conventional professional term |
A useful editorial test is to read the sentence aloud. If memoranda makes a routine workplace message sound inflated, memos may be better. If the sentence names a series of formal legal analyses, memoranda probably matches the document’s function.
How Do You Use Each Form in a Sentence?
Use memorandum for one document and memoranda or memorandums for two or more documents. The determiner, noun, and verb must agree with the number of documents being described.
Examples with the singular form:
- “The general counsel prepared a memorandum.”
- “This memorandum addresses the contract dispute.”
- “One memorandum was attached to the application.”
- “The memorandum has three appendices.”
Examples with the plural forms:
- “The general counsel prepared two memoranda.”
- “The department issued several memorandums.”
- “These memoranda address separate compliance questions.”
- “The memorandums were distributed on Monday.”
The plural noun takes a plural verb. Write “The memoranda were reviewed,” not “The memoranda was reviewed.” The same rule applies to memorandums: “The memorandums are available.”
Memorandum Possessives
Possessive forms depend on number:
| Meaning | Correct form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| One memorandum owns something | memorandum’s | “The memorandum’s conclusion was concise.” |
| Several memoranda own something | memoranda’s | “The memoranda’s conclusions differed.” |
| Several memorandums own something | memorandums’ | “The memorandums’ titles were inconsistent.” |
| One memo owns something | memo’s | “The memo’s deadline is Friday.” |
| Several memos own something | memos’ | “The memos’ attachments were missing.” |
The forms memoranda’s and memorandums’ may look awkward because they combine a less familiar plural with an apostrophe. Rewriting can improve clarity: instead of “the memoranda’s recommendations,” write “the recommendations in the memoranda.”
How Is Memorandum Pronounced?
Memorandum is commonly pronounced mem-uh-RAN-dum, memoranda as mem-uh-RAN-duh, and memorandums as mem-uh-RAN-dumz. Regional accents can shift the unstressed vowels, but the stressed syllable normally remains the third syllable from the beginning.
The final -a in memoranda is usually pronounced with a short unstressed vowel, not as a long “ay” sound. In spoken business communication, memos avoids pronunciation uncertainty and is often more natural.
| Word | Common pronunciation guide | Syllables | Spoken plural ending |
|---|---|---|---|
| memorandum | mem-uh-RAN-dum | 4 | singular |
| memoranda | mem-uh-RAN-duh | 4 | -uh |
| memorandums | mem-uh-RAN-dumz | 4 | -umz |
| memo | MEM-oh | 2 | singular abbreviation |
| memos | MEM-ohz | 2 | -ohz |
Pronunciation should not determine the spelling in formal documents. A speaker can say memoranda correctly while the written document follows a house style that requires memorandums.
What Types of Memoranda Are Common?
Common memoranda include legal, policy, research, financial, technical, and administrative documents. The document’s purpose determines its structure, audience, and level of formality more than the choice between the two plural endings.
| Type | Primary purpose | Typical length | Typical audience |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal memorandum | Analyze law and apply it to facts | 5-30 pages | Attorneys, judges, clients |
| Policy memorandum | Recommend or explain public action | 2-10 pages | Officials, administrators |
| Research memorandum | Record findings or methods | 3-20 pages | Researchers, reviewers |
| Financial memorandum | Explain budgets, forecasts, or controls | 2-8 pages | Executives, finance teams |
| Technical memorandum | Document tests, specifications, or risks | 3-25 pages | Engineers, managers |
| Administrative memorandum | Announce internal procedures | 1-3 pages | Employees, departments |
The often-repeated rule that a memo should be only one to three pages applies mainly to short internal administrative communications. A legal or technical memorandum can be substantially longer because analysis, evidence, citations, and appendices change the document’s function.
A memorandum becomes closer to a report when it contains extensive methodology, multiple data sections, and independent findings. Length alone does not create a strict grammatical category. The title and purpose should tell readers what kind of document they are reading.
How Do You Draft a Clear Memorandum?
A clear memorandum normally takes five parts: a header, purpose statement, context, action or analysis, and conclusion. A short internal memorandum may take 30-90 minutes to draft, while a complex legal or technical memorandum can require several days of research and review.
Use this sequence:
- Complete the header. Include To, From, Date, and Subject. Add a file number, department, or confidentiality label when the organization requires it.
- State the purpose immediately. The opening two or three sentences should identify the decision, issue, or action the reader must understand.
- Supply necessary context. Explain the relevant event, policy, question, or data source without repeating material the audience already has.
- Present analysis or action items. Use headings, numbered steps, bullets, citations, and tables when they reduce scanning time.
- Close with a specific next step. Name the responsible person, deadline, approval required, or location of supporting material.
A typical internal memorandum contains 400-1,200 words and takes 24-48 hours to circulate when review and approval are required. A specialized legal memorandum may take 3-10 business days, depending on the number of legal issues, authorities, and reviewers.
A Compact Memorandum Template
TO: Operations team
FROM: Priya Shah, Director of Operations
DATE: March 8, 2025
SUBJECT: Updated incident-reporting deadline
Purpose
Beginning April 1, employees must submit incident reports within 24 hours.
Background
The revised deadline aligns reporting with the company’s insurance notification procedure.
Required action
• Use the revised form in the compliance portal.
• Submit reports by 5:00 p.m. on the next business day.
• Contact Compliance for access problems.
Next step
Managers must confirm team training by March 22, 2025.
The template demonstrates why memorandum and memo are related but not identical in tone. A header labeled MEMORANDUM signals formality; an email subject labeled Memo may suit a routine announcement.
What Mistakes Should You Avoid?
The most common memorandum errors are incorrect number agreement, inconsistent plural choice, misuse of the abbreviation, and confusion between a document title and a document category. These mistakes are easy to repair when the writer checks number, audience, and institutional style before submission.
| Mistake | Incorrect example | Correct revision | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singular with plural verb | “The memoranda was filed.” | “The memoranda were filed.” | Match verb to plural noun |
| Plural used as singular | “I received a memoranda.” | “I received a memorandum.” | Use singular after a |
| Wrong possessive | “The memoranda’s was clear.” | “The memorandum’s conclusion was clear.” | Identify the owner and noun |
| Inconsistent register | “The memoranda and memos were sent.” | “The memos were sent.” | Use one workplace term unless distinction matters |
| Unclear abbreviation | “Three memorandum were attached.” | “Three memoranda were attached.” | Spell out the noun or use memos |
| Buried instruction | “The deadline appears on page 4.” | “Submit the form by Friday, May 16.” | Put the action first |
One counterintuitive editorial rule matters here: formal vocabulary does not make weak analysis authoritative. A precise, readable memorandum is more useful than an inflated document filled with Latin plurals, passive constructions, and vague recommendations.
A second rule is to avoid switching forms merely to sound sophisticated. If a company style guide uses memorandums, changing one section to memoranda creates an editing defect rather than a grammatical improvement.
A third rule concerns document length. Moving supporting tables to an appendix can improve a short administrative memo, but legal analysis cannot be reduced to one page without removing the authorities that make its conclusion verifiable.
Is Memorandum Ever Used as a Verb?
Memorandum is normally a noun, not a standard modern English verb. Use verbs such as record, document, summarize, circulate, notify, or recommend instead of inventing a verbal form.
For example:
- Prefer “The analyst documented the decision.”
- Prefer “The manager circulated a memorandum.”
- Prefer “The report summarizes the findings.”
- Avoid “The manager memorandumed the decision.”
The noun can function attributively before another noun, as in memorandum format, memorandum header, or memorandum template. That use does not turn memorandum into a verb.
Which Form Should You Choose?
Choose memoranda for traditional legal, academic, and institutional prose; choose memorandums for general modern English; choose memos for short, familiar workplace communications. The best choice is the form that matches the surrounding vocabulary and the organization’s documented style.
| User situation | Recommended form | Sample sentence | Main reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Law student writing case analysis | memoranda | “The memoranda compare four precedents.” | Legal convention |
| Corporate HR announcement | memos | “HR sent two memos.” | Familiar workplace language |
| Government policy office | memoranda | “The policy memoranda outline options.” | Institutional register |
| Plain-English client report | memorandums | “The memorandums explain the revised terms.” | Accessible formal English |
| Archive catalog | memoranda or memorandums | “The collection contains 18 memoranda.” | Catalog consistency |
| Informal team message | memos | “The project memos are in the shared drive.” | Concision |
The form memoranda is especially appropriate when the documents are formal analyses or official records. The form memorandums is appropriate when the writer wants a standard English plural without the traditional Latin association. The abbreviation memos is usually best when readers already understand the document type.
A Limitation of the Traditional Rule
No universal English rule requires every professional field to use memoranda. Dictionaries, publishers, courts, universities, and companies can maintain different conventions, and a local style instruction overrides a generalized recommendation.
That limitation is important in editing. An editor should verify the style guide, inspect comparable documents, and preserve the selected form throughout the document set. Grammar establishes what is possible; editorial policy establishes what a particular institution wants.
FAQ
Is “memos” the plural of “memo”?
Yes. Memos is the standard plural of the abbreviation memo. Because memo functions as an ordinary English noun, it takes the regular plural ending -s. “The manager circulated four memos” is correct, while “four memo” is not.
What is the plural of memorandum of understanding?
The usual plural is memoranda of understanding. The noun memoranda changes, while the phrase of understanding remains unchanged. Memorandums of understanding is also grammatically possible and appears in modern English, especially where an organization prefers regular English plurals.
Should memorandum be capitalized?
Memorandum is lowercase when it is a common noun, as in “The attorney prepared a memorandum.” It may be capitalized in a document heading, title, or formal label, such as “MEMORANDUM” or “Memorandum of Agreement.” Capitalization does not change the plural.
Can you say “two memorandum”?
No. Two memorandum is incorrect because two requires a plural noun. Write “two memoranda,” “two memorandums,” or “two memos.” The choice among those forms depends on register, house style, and whether the writer is using the full noun or its abbreviation.
Which plural does the Associated Press Stylebook prefer?
The Associated Press Stylebook’s guidance should be checked in the current edition or the organization’s subscription database because style recommendations and entries can change. When no specific instruction applies, both memoranda and memorandums are grammatical; a publication should select one form and apply it consistently.
Is memorandum a countable noun?
Yes. Memorandum is a countable noun because writers can refer to one memorandum, two memoranda, several memorandums, or many memos. Countability explains why the noun changes form after numbers and why singular determiners such as a and one cannot precede memoranda.
The Bottom Line
The answer to whats the plural of memorandum is memoranda or memorandums. Use memoranda for traditional formal, legal, academic, and institutional contexts; use memorandums for regular modern English; and use memos for concise workplace communication. Both full plural forms are correct when number agreement and house style are handled consistently.
