What is the plural of 'ox'?

The plural of “ox” is “oxen.” Unlike most modern English nouns, “ox” keeps an old Germanic plural pattern in which the ending changes rather than simply adding -s.

In modern usage, an ox usually means a trained bovine used for pulling carts, ploughs, wagons, or machinery. Oxen are commonly castrated adult male cattle because this tends to make them calmer and easier to handle, although cows and bulls can also perform draught work.

“Oxes” is not the standard plural, though learners may produce it by applying the usual English rule. “Oxen’s” is a possessive form, meaning something belonging to oxen—for example, “the oxen’s yoke”—not an ordinary plural. English has preserved only a few everyday examples of this older plural type, including “oxen” and “children.”