plenitude

noun

plen·i·tude ˈple-nə-ˌtüd

-ˌtyüd

Synonyms of plenitude next

: the quality or state of being full : completeness

: a great sufficiency : abundance

Did you know?

Plenitude was first recorded in English during the 15th century and ultimately comes to us from "plenus," the Latin word for "full." "Plenus" has also given us "plenty," which in turn influenced a variation on "plenitude": "plentitude." Some usage commentators have objected to "plentitude," but it has been in use since the early 1600s and has appeared in the works of such writers as Henry James and Sir Walter Scott. Both words are used in the same sorts of contexts, but "plentitude" is not used as frequently as "plenitude."

Examples of plenitude in a Sentence

She has gathered a plenitude of information on the topic. there's a plenitude of natural beauty in the state

Recent Examples on the Web After all, Plymouth’s own governor, William Bradford, noted a plenitude of wild turkeys in the colony at that time. —

Stephen C. George, Discover Magazine, 14 Nov. 2023 The solitude of Orbison’s music was rooted (or rootless) in wide-open spaces, whereas Byrne’s is a loneliness of plenitude, of isolation amid an inescapable urban crowd and the alienating effects of complex technologies. —

Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2023 Simple and delicious while honoring the beauty of the Copper River, its people and its plenitude. —

Kim Sunée, Anchorage Daily News, 15 June 2023 What’s here is both not enough and a plenitude. —

R. O. Kwon, The New Yorker, 9 Nov. 2022 Lucy’s life, too, remains a spiritually cramped affair despite its material plenitude. —

Pankaj Mishra, The New York Review of Books, 20 Oct. 2021 These patches of greenery have come to represent aspirational suburban plenitude — or depressing conformity, depending on your perspective. —

Richard Pallardy, Discover Magazine, 15 Oct. 2021 The plenitude of government workers assured a customer base. —

John Kelly, Washington Post, 20 Sep. 2022 Baranski, too, experienced a plenitude of milestone moments while playing her signature role. —

Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 28 Sep. 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'plenitude.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin plēnitūdō, from plēnus "full" + -i- -i- + -tūdō -tude — more at full entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of plenitude was in the 15th century

See more words from the same century