plenary
adjective
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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 many 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.)
Synonyms
- compleat
- complete
- comprehensive
- entire
- full
- grand
- intact
- integral
- perfect
- total
- whole
Example Sentences
Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 12 May 2022 Police Chief Garret Ciszewski during the Hobart City Council’s plenary meeting introduced a resolution asserting that the city should have its own dispatcher and channel. Michelle L. Quinn, Chicago Tribune, 8 July 2022 On The Move Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge will deliver a plenary address at the National Action Network convention in New York at 10 AM. Jeremy Pelzer, cleveland, 7 Apr. 2022 At a recent Workers’ Party plenary session, Mr. Kim urged the country to boost agricultural production and accelerate rural development. Timothy W. Martin, WSJ, 11 Jan. 2022 At the last plenary meeting in June, Kim ordered his country to be ready for both dialogue and confrontation with the United States under President Biden. Washington Post, 1 Jan. 2022 The proposals passed after an eleventh-hour watering down, negotiated in plain sight in the plenary room. Ewa Krukowska, Fortune, 13 Nov. 2021 It is expected that Mr. Kim will deliver a policy speech, outlining North Korea’s 2022 plans, either at the plenary session or potentially in a Jan. 1 address. Timothy W. Martin, WSJ, 30 Dec. 2021 The Constitution gives the House plenary power to decide whether to proceed with impeachment articles, so the House could decide what to do after the committee’s work is done. Andrew C. Mccarthy, National Review, 14 Feb. 2022 See More Word History
Middle English plenarie, borrowed from Late Latin plēnārius, from Latin plēnus "full" + -ārius -ary entry 2 — more at full entry 1
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing plenary
Legal Definition
plenary
adjective
plenary
adjective
Synonyms & Similar Words
- entire
- whole
- full
- complete
- comprehensive
- total
- perfect
- grand
- integral
- intact
- compleat
- extensive
- unabridged
- undiminished
- exhaustive
- maximal
- uncut
- full-on
- full-blown
- all-out
- full-fledged
- full-scale
- full-out
- full-bore
- full-blooded
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- partial
- incomplete
- imperfect
- abbreviated
- diminished
- reduced
- cut
- abridged
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of plenary are complete, full, and replete. While all these words mean "containing all that is wanted or needed or possible," plenary adds to complete the implication of fullness without qualification.
The words complete and plenary are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, complete applies when all that is needed is present.
The words full and plenary can be used in similar contexts, but 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.
In some situations, the words replete and plenary are roughly equivalent. However, replete implies being filled to the brim or to satiety.