Myriad

I saw a myriad of stars is correct. Use the article (a). You can use the definate article (the) but only is the listener/reader knows the myriad you are refering to.

AnonymousMyriad as an adjective, NOT noun: I saw myriad stars.

Myriad is both an adjective and a noun:
myr·i·ad, n.
1. a very great or indefinitely great number of persons or things.
2. te

Thanks, but I am not talking about the NOUN myriad, only the ADJECTIVE myriad. 'I saw a myriad of stars' is fine because myriad in this instance is a noun. But what if I am using it as an adjective? Do I say: I saw myriad stars (without an article).

That's a fine question and I have to congratulate you that.

That's a mystery! Why on earth does one need the indefinite article before a plural noun modified by the adjective 'myriad'?

a myriad stars

"Men... exploit and injure in a myriad subtle ways." [Ann Oakley]

AnonymousThanks, but I am not talking about the NOUN myriad, only the ADJECTIVE myriad. 'I saw a myriad of stars' is fine because myriad in this instance is a noun. But what if I am using it as an adjective? Do I say: I saw myriad stars (without an article).

In that case, no article.

A myriad of stars -- okay
Myriad stars -- okay
A myriad star

Hi GG,

What about this:

The adjective myriad with the infinitive article 'a' before the plural noun does the same job as the adjective 'a thousand' in the phrase 'in a thousand ways' .

Does it work? Is that reasonable?

It's reasonable, but it's wrong. Apparently myriad has a literal meaning of ten thousand, so you wouldn't say "a ten thousand ways." You'd just say "ten thousand ways." (I didn't know this about myriad until I looked it up to participate in this thread.)

I can see ten thousand stars -- even if I can only see a few thousand. I'm using it hyperbolically.
There are ten thousand reasons

Thanks, GG, for your fine explanation.