Use omnibus for a large public vehicle that carries many passengers, especially in historical or formal contexts.
Use omnibus for a large public vehicle that carries many passengers, especially in historical or formal contexts.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| The omnibus are full. | The omnibus is full. |
| I took a bus instead of the omnibus. | I took the omnibus instead of a bus. |
| She rides the omnibus every day. | She rides the bus every day. |
| He will drive the omnibus to work. | He will drive the car to work. |
Use omnibus for a single volume that gathers several works by one author or on a single theme.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| I read the omnibuses last night. | I read the omnibus last night. |
| The omnibus contains only one story. | The omnibus contains multiple stories. |
| She bought an omnibus of the series, but it was missing volumes. | She bought an omnibus of the series, which includes all volumes. |
| He referred to the anthology as an omnibus. | He referred to the anthology as an anthology. |
Use omnibus for a bill that bundles multiple measures into one package, often in budget or appropriations contexts.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| The omnibus were passed yesterday. | The omnibus was passed yesterday. |
| An omnibus always includes tax cuts. | An omnibus may include tax cuts, but not always. |
| The committee rejected the omnibus because it was a single bill. | The committee rejected the omnibus because it combined many bills. |
| We need to draft an omnibus for the education reform. | We need to draft a separate bill for the education reform. |
Use omnibus as an adjective to describe something that is all‑encompassing or comprehensive.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| The omnibus is a large vehicle. | The bus is a large vehicle. |
| We need an omnibus plan. | We need a comprehensive plan. |
| His omnibus knowledge is limited. | His extensive knowledge is limited. |
| The report is omnibus. | The report is comprehensive. |
Use omnibus for a bus, a collected edition, a bundled bill, or as an adjective meaning comprehensive, choosing the sense that matches the context.
Confusing omnibus with bus leads to sentences like The omnibus is a bus which is redundant.
From Latin omnibus ‘for all’, dative plural of omnis, borrowed into French as omnibus ‘vehicle for all’, then into English in the early 19th century.
What is an omnibus in transportation?
It is a large public vehicle, often a bus, that carries many passengers along a set route.
How does an omnibus differ from a regular bus?
Historically the term referred to a horse‑drawn carriage for all passengers; today it is used for larger or historic buses.
What does an omnibus edition of a book contain?
A single volume that gathers several works by one author or on a common theme.
Why are legislative bills called omnibus bills?
Because they bundle multiple separate proposals into one comprehensive legislative package.
Can omnibus be used as an adjective?
Yes, it describes something that is all‑encompassing or comprehensive.
What is the origin of the word omnibus?
It comes from Latin omnibus ‘for all’, passed through French before entering English in the 1820s.
Is the plural of omnibus the same as the singular?
Yes, the word’s plural form is also omnibus.
How is the term omnibus used in everyday language?
People use it to refer to buses, collected editions of books, combined bills, or to describe something that covers many items.