After the words atri , bhṛgu , kutsa , vaśiṣṭha , gotama , aṅgirasa , there is elision of the gotra affix, when the word takes the plural, but not in the feminine.,
Thus the plural of आत्रेय (अत्रि + ढक (IV.1. 122.)) the descendent of अत्रि, is अत्रयः, the regular plural of अत्रि. So also, singular भार्गवः, plural भृगवः, singular कौत्सः, plural कुत्साः; so, वसिष्ठाः, गोतमाः, अङ्गिरसः. In all these the affix has been elided. Thus भृगु + अण् = भार्गवः 'the descendent of Bhrigu.' Of course, it is only in the plural number that the Gotra affixes ढक् and अण् are elided, not in any other number; so we have in singular आत्रेयः भार्गवः; dual आत्रेयौ भार्गवौ; plural आत्रयः भृगवः &c.
But when these words are part of a compound, the Gotra affixes are not elided in forming their plural. Thus प्रियात्रेयाः or प्रियभार्गवाः ।
In the Feminine plural the affixes are not elided. Thus:- आत्रेय्यः स्त्रियः ।,