Browse Definitions :

“myriad” or “a myriad of”?

Writing for Business

Which is correct?
Phablets are among ________ new gadgets introduced in the last few years.
a. myriad
b. a myriad of


Answer: Either.

 

Explanation:
“Myriad” originally comes from a Greek word for the number 10,000. Because we would say “I’ve got 10,000 problems” rather than “I’ve got 10,000 of problems,” there are some grammar or Greek purists who object to “myriad of.” The same people disapprove of “a myriad” or “the myriad,” for similar reasons.

However, we use “myriad” to refer to a large and usually non-specific number — like “plethora” or “abundance” — these days, so it’s completely acceptable to use myriad prefaced by “a” or “the” and/or followed by “of” as those words would be.

It really comes down to whether you’re using “myriad” as a noun or an adjective. If it’s an adjective, then you would say “myriad gadgets.” If it’s a noun, you would say “a myriad of gadgets.” That means you can use it either way and no one will be able to tell you you’re wrong.

The Mavens’ Word of the Day covers “myriad.”

Follow me on Twitter @tao_of_grammar

Dig Deeper on Writing for Business

Networking
  • port address translation (PAT)

    Port address translation (PAT) is a type of network address translation (NAT) that maps a network's private internal IPv4 ...

  • network fabric

    'Network fabric' is a general term used to describe underlying data network infrastructure as a whole.

  • loose coupling

    Loose coupling is an approach to interconnecting the components in a system, network or software application so that those ...

Security
  • total risk

    Total risk is an assessment that identifies all the risk factors associated with pursuing a specific course of action.

  • steganography

    Steganography is the technique of hiding data within an ordinary, nonsecret file or message to avoid detection; the hidden data ...

  • triple extortion ransomware

    Triple extortion ransomware is a type of ransomware attack where a cybercriminal extorts their victim multiple times, namely by ...

CIO
  • microtargeting

    Microtargeting (also called micro-niche targeting) is a marketing strategy that uses consumer data and demographics to identify ...

  • business process

    A business process is an activity or set of activities that accomplish a specific organizational goal. Business processes should ...

  • business process improvement (BPI)

    Business process improvement (BPI) is a practice in which enterprise leaders analyze their business processes to identify areas ...

HRSoftware
  • employee onboarding and offboarding

    Employee onboarding involves all the steps needed to get a new employee successfully deployed and productive, while offboarding ...

  • skill-based learning

    Skill-based learning develops students through hands-on practice and real-world application.

  • gamification

    Gamification is a strategy that integrates entertaining and immersive gaming elements into nongame contexts to enhance engagement...

Customer Experience
  • Microsoft Dynamics 365

    Dynamics 365 is a cloud-based portfolio of business applications from Microsoft that are designed to help organizations improve ...

  • Salesforce Commerce Cloud

    Salesforce Commerce Cloud is a cloud-based suite of products that enable e-commerce businesses to set up e-commerce sites, drive ...

  • Salesforce DX

    Salesforce DX, or SFDX, is a set of software development tools that lets developers build, test and ship many kinds of ...

Close