plenary

adjective

ple·​na·​ry ˈple-nə-rē How to pronounce plenary (audio)
also
ˈplē- How to pronounce plenary (audio)
1
: complete in every respect : absolute, unqualified
plenary power
2
: fully attended or constituted by all entitled to be present
a plenary session

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 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.)

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

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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Delegates listen on during the plenary session as Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers his remarks via video-link during the 2023 BRICS Summit at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg on August 23, 2023. Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2024 Prime Minister Viktor Orbán canceled his planned foreign engagements, including an address to a plenary session of the European Parliament on Wednesday where heated debates were expected over his conduct since Hungary took over the European Union’s rotating presidency in July. Karel Janicek and Monika Scislowska, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2024 Ukraine’s parliament will consider the foreign minister’s resignation at one of its plenary meetings soon, Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk said on Telegram. Alex Stambaugh, CNN, 4 Sep. 2024 Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in Saint Petersburg, Russia June 7, 2024. Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for plenary 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English plenarie, borrowed from Late Latin plēnārius, from Latin plēnus "full" + -ārius -ary entry 2 — more at full entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of plenary was in the 15th century

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near plenary

Cite this Entry

“Plenary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plenary. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

plenary

adjective
ple·​na·​ry ˈplē-nə-rē How to pronounce plenary (audio) ˈplen-ə- How to pronounce plenary (audio)
1
: complete in all ways : full
plenary powers
2
: including all who have a right to attend
a plenary session of an assembly

Legal Definition

plenary

adjective
ple·​na·​ry ˈplē-nə-rē, ˈple- How to pronounce plenary (audio)
: 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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!