plenary
/ˈpliːnəri/
adjective
Origin
Latin
plenarius — complete, full
Overview
Meaning Now
- Attended by all members of a group or body, especially a meeting or assembly.
- Full, complete, or unqualified; entire.
Literal older meaning
full, entire
Language path
Latin → Old French → English
Earliest form
plenier
Earliest period
14th century
Journey
The term has long been used in legal and ecclesiastical contexts to denote situations where no members are absent, ensuring that any quorum or decision is fully representative of the governing body.
Evolution
- Latin
plenus
“full”
Adjectival root from the verb 'plere'.
- Late Latin
plenarius
“complete”
Formed with suffix -arius.
- Old French
plenier
“full, absolute”
Adopted into Middle English.
- Middle English
plenary
“full, entire”
Standardization of the English form.
Connections
Word parts
plen-
root
full
-ary
suffix
pertaining to
Related across languages
French
plénier
full
Spanish
plenario
plenary
Explore next
Related to plenary
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.