a plethora of source

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a plethora of source" is not correct in written English.
The correct form should be "a plethora of sources" to match the plural noun with "plethora." Example: "The research paper provided a plethora of sources to support its claims."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

A word of caution is in order: there is a plethora of source material, and this entry is offered as a survey for organizing that material.

SEP

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

But this information is available from a plethora of sources and formats – from government websites to university prospectuses and league tables.

The Guardian

They amassed their figures for urban populations from a plethora of sources, including censuses, traveller's accounts, tax rolls, gazetteers, disaster records, public bath rolls and archaeological records.

The Guardian

It is stored on the very left pane of the homescreen, and pulls posts from your social media accounts, information from your calendar and some of the built-in apps, as well as news and entertainment from a plethora of sources of your choosing.

The Guardian - Tech

Modern cities face a multitude of atmospheric pollution threats from a plethora of sources, including large industrial plants in the outskirts of the city, smaller production or processing units in industrial parks or even within the city, warehouses and storage facilities, and large underground networks of gas pipes that are particularly leaky and can release methane.

Environmental Systems Research

Inspired by a plethora of sources, Brendan shared what drives him to create such unique events: "I come from an entrepreneurial family, being my own boss has been imprinted on me from young age.

Vice

S. marcescens is an ubiquitous pathogen, whose complete eradication from the environment is often difficult: a plethora of sources of infection are reported, including healthcare workers hands, infected neonates and contaminated medical devices [ 1].

BMC Infectious Diseases

The invitations do not have to be store-bought or otherwise ordered -- you can make them yourself! wikiHow has a plethora of sources for this!

WikiHow

This has led to the development of a plethora of microbial source tracking (MST) methods, many of which have been recently reviewed.

Environmental Science & Technology

Now we have a plethora of information sources, most online, to help us make consumer decisions, including online sources that aggregate and combine opinions, reviews, public data and more.

Huffington Post

And the would-be entrepreneur has a plethora of other sources besides the often unhelpful banks from which to raise cash, such as crowdfunding and peer-to-peer lending.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Ensure that "plethora" is always followed by a plural noun like "sources", "reasons", or "options" to maintain grammatical correctness.

Common error

Avoid using "plethora" with a singular noun. It should always be "a plethora of sources" not "a plethora of source".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a plethora of" functions as a determiner or quantifier, modifying a noun to indicate a large quantity or abundance. However, in the query, it's used incorrectly because it is not followed by a plural noun. As Ludwig AI suggests, it should be "a plethora of sources."

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Wiki

33%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "a plethora of" indicates abundance, "a plethora of source" is grammatically incorrect. It must be followed by a plural noun; the correct form is "a plethora of sources". As Ludwig AI highlights, the phrase functions as a quantifier and is used to emphasize abundance, appearing in neutral to formal contexts such as news and academic writing. Remember to always use the plural form to ensure accuracy. Consider using alternatives like "a wealth of sources" or "an abundance of sources".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a wealth of sources

Focuses on abundance and richness of the origins.

an abundance of sources

Highlights a plentiful quantity of resources.

a multitude of sources

Emphasizes the numerous different origins.

a wide array of sources

Indicates a diverse and extensive assortment of origins.

a vast number of sources

Stresses the large quantity of origins.

numerous sources

Simply highlights that there are many origins.

various sources

Focuses on the variety and diversity of origins.

a great deal of sources

Indicates a substantial amount of origins.

multiple sources

Highlights that there are several origins.

diverse origins

Simply highlights the variety of different origins.

FAQs

What is the correct way to use "a plethora of"?

The phrase "a plethora of" should always be followed by a plural noun. For example, "a plethora of reasons" or "a plethora of options" is correct, while "a plethora of reason" is not.

What can I say instead of "a plethora of sources"?

You can use alternatives like "a wealth of sources", "an abundance of sources", or "a multitude of sources" depending on the context.

Is it grammatically correct to say "a plethora of source"?

No, it is grammatically incorrect. The correct phrasing is "a plethora of sources", using the plural form of the noun. Ludwig AI confirms this with its analysis.

What's the difference between "a plethora of sources" and "numerous sources"?

"A plethora of sources" emphasizes a large and possibly overwhelming quantity, while "numerous sources" simply indicates that there are many sources. The former is more emphatic.