Missouris

Missouris is a rarely used plural form that may refer to residents of the U.S. state of Missouri. The standard demonym for people from Missouri is Missourians; Missouris is generally considered nonstandard or archaic in contemporary usage and is most likely to appear in older writings, genealogical data, or informal texts.

The word derives from Missouri, a name that traces to the Missouri River and the historic Missouri (Missouria) people. As with many place-based nouns, English pluralization can yield an -s ending, producing Missouris, but this form is not routinely used in modern reference works.

Usage and perception: In current formal writing, Missourians or simply people from Missouri are preferred. Missouris may appear in archival records, early geographical surveys, or dialectal writing to indicate plural residents of the state, yet it does not denote a distinct cultural or political community.

Missouri is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern and border states region, with its capital in Jefferson City and largest city in Kansas City and St. Louis. The state's demographic composition includes urban, suburban, and rural communities with diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds.

Related terms include Missouria, the name of the historic Native American people after whom the state is partly named, and Missourian, an alternative demonym. The use of Missouris is rare and context-dependent.