adjective
Uncommon
plenary
PLEE-nuh-ree
Plenary (adjective) means Attended by all members of a group, rather than by a smaller committee. Example: “The plenary meeting begins at nine on Monday morning.”
adjective
1
Attended by all members of a group, rather than by a smaller committee.
"The plenary meeting begins at nine on Monday morning."
"All delegates were invited to the plenary session."
"The proposal will go to a plenary vote next week."
2
formal Complete, full, or absolute.
"The board was given plenary authority to settle the dispute."
"The court has plenary power over the matter."
"She was granted plenary control of the project."
noun
1
A session attended by all participants at a conference or meeting.
"The conference opened with a plenary on climate policy."
"After lunch, everyone gathered for the closing plenary."
"The smaller workshops were followed by a plenary."
Examples of plenary in a sentence →
How to use plenary
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishInvolving everyone, or complete and unlimited.
When to use it
It is formal and appears mostly in conferences, law and government.
Memory tip
Think of the Latin root meaning full: a plenary session is one that is full of everyone.
Trace the full origin ↓
Common pairings
plenary session
plenary meeting
plenary speaker
plenary power
plenary authority
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The _____ meeting begins at nine on Monday morning.
Etymology
The word came through Middle English plenarie from Late Latin plenarius. That in turn comes from Latin plenus, meaning full.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for plenary
See all rhymes for plenary →Frequently asked questions
What does plenary mean?
Plenary means attended by everyone, or complete and absolute. A plenary session is one that all members take part in.
What is a plenary session?
It is a meeting or part of a conference that all participants attend together, as opposed to smaller breakout groups.
How do you pronounce plenary?
In American English it is commonly said PLEE-nuh-ree, though PLEN-uh-ree is also heard.
What is the meaning of plenary?
"plenary" (adjective) means attended by all members of a group, rather than by a smaller committee.
