dual number
grammar
Quick Summary
In grammar, the dual is a linguistic form that specifically denotes reference to two items. This is distinct from the singular (one item) and the plural (more than two items). While not as common in modern languages as singular and plural, the dual form was historically used in some languages to refer to exactly two of something. For example, a language might have a specific pronoun or noun form to indicate "two of them".12
Summary created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
3 Britannica Sources
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
