Wikipedia: Mathematics
Quote:
Etymology
The word "mathematics" [...]
The apparent plural form in English, like the French plural form les mathématiques (and the less commonly used singular derivative la mathématique), goes back to the Latin neuter plural mathematica (Cicero), based on the Greek plural τα μαθηματικά (ta mathēmatiká), used by Aristotle, and meaning roughly "all things mathematical". In English, however, mathematics is a singular noun, often shortened to math in English-speaking North America and maths elsewhere.
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(I wonder if the same holds for similar words. Say, is
economics shortened to
econ and
econs? Hmm... Wikipedia redirects both
econ and
econs to
economics.)