In message <[log in to unmask]>, J Dunlop
<[log in to unmask]> writes
>Oops, and yes, I suddenly realised that it should be "Virii" rather
>than "Virusii"!

It should not. It should be viruses.

As in crocus, crocuses, another word that although it comes to us from
the Latin, comes originally from the Greek.

Even if it wasn't, it wouldn't be 'virii', it would be 'viri' ,as in
locus, loci, a word that does come from the Latin, and forms that type
of plural.

There is the Latin word vires, for strengths, but that is already a
plural, of vis.

'Virus' comes from 'wase', marsh, and 'ios' poison - the last word, from
whence comes the plural-forming convention, is indubitably Greek, though
'wase' is probably a borrowing from Old English - and thus the word has
no real Latin heritage at all.....
--
Roy Brown        'Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be
Kelmscott Ltd     useful, or believe to be beautiful'  William Morris

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