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plenary

adjective
ple·​na·​ry | \ ˈple-nÉ™-rÄ“ How to pronounce plenary (audio) also ˈplÄ“- How to pronounce plenary (audio) \

Definition of plenary

1 : complete in every respect : absolute, unqualified plenary power
2 : fully attended or constituted by all entitled to be present a plenary session
Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about plenary

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Choose the Right Synonym for plenary

full, complete, plenary, replete mean containing all that is wanted or needed or possible. full implies the presence or inclusion of everything that is wanted or required by something or that can be held, contained, or attained by it. a full schedule complete applies when all that is needed is present. a complete picture of the situation plenary adds to complete the implication of fullness without qualification. given plenary power replete implies being filled to the brim or to satiety. replete with delightful details

Did You Know?

In the 14th century, the monk Robert of Brunne described a situation in which all the knights of King Arthur's Round Table were present at court by writing, "When Arthures court was plener, and alle were comen, fer and ner. . . ." For 200 years, "plener" (also spelled "plenar") served English well for both senses that we reserve for "plenary" today. But we'd borrowed "plener" from Anglo-French, and, although the French had relied on Latin plenus ("full") for their word, the revival of interest in the Classics during the English Renaissance led scholars to prefer purer Latin origins. In the 15th century, English speakers turned to Late Latin plenarius and came up with "plenary." ("Plenarius" also comes from "plenus," which is the source of our "plenty" and "replenish" as well.)

Examples of plenary in a Sentence

A plenary meeting of the 500 members was held last summer. plenary sessions of the legislature

Recent Examples on the Web

 The proportion of questions asked by women following invited and plenary talks was similar to that seen in prior years. — Melissa Healystaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, "In science, questions matter a lot. Men are more likely than women to ask them," 26 July 2019 Instead, the conference in Bahrain features a set of glitzy plenary speeches and panels, including various business leaders and bigwigs such as International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde and former British prime minister Tony Blair. — Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, "Forget peace. Trump and Israel want Palestinian surrender.," 26 June 2019 The parliament’s plenary would then vote on the issue in early October. — Frank Jordans, The Seattle Times, "European automakers claim cutting emissions could cost jobs," 4 Sep. 2018 The Supreme Court held in Arizona v. U.S. (2012), which struck down some provisions of that state’s strict immigration law, that states can’t enact laws that interfere with Congress’s plenary power over immigration. — Ilya Shapiro And, WSJ, "Testing California’s ‘Sanctuary’ Laws," 13 Mar. 2018 The Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines, the church’s authority in the country, issued a stinging rebuke after a plenary meeting Monday in Manila. — Jake Maxwell Watts, WSJ, "Clash Between Duterte and Catholic Church in Philippines Intensifies," 9 July 2018 Rolando Gomez, a spokesman for the council, confirmed that Israel was not participating in the council plenary Friday, where its seat sat empty. — Washington Post, "After US, Israel also backs away from UN human rights body," 22 June 2018 Day registration is still available for plenary and other sessions at aaas.org. — Lindsay Ellis, Houston Chronicle, "Joe Biden to speak at American Association for the Advancement of Science conference in Austin," 16 Feb. 2018 At the blockbuster plenary sessions, the chairs stretched so far back that even the most youthful Silicon Valley college dropouts-turned VC hoovers had to squint to see the action up in front. — Aarian Marshall, WIRED, "Home From the Honeymoon, the Self-Driving Car Industry Faces Reality," 13 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'plenary.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of plenary

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for plenary

Middle English, from Late Latin plenarius, from Latin plenus full — more at full

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More Definitions for plenary

plenary

adjective
How to pronounce plenary (audio) How to pronounce plenary (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of plenary

formal
: attended by all the people who have the right to attend
: complete in every way

See the full definition for plenary in the English Language Learners Dictionary

plenary

adjective
ple·​na·​ry | \ ˈplÄ“-nÉ™-rÄ“, ˈple- How to pronounce plenary (audio) \

Legal Definition of plenary

: full and complete in every respect: as
a : absolute sense 1 plenary power
b : fully attended or constituted a plenary session of the legislature
c : including all steps in due order a plenary proceeding — compare summary

More from Merriam-Webster on plenary

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with plenary

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for plenary

Britannica English: Translation of plenary for Arabic Speakers

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