Word of the Day

Tuesday August 11, 2009

plenary [PLEE-nuh-ree; PLEN-uh-ree]

adjective

Bach is the composer who unites, in their truest sense, the plenary tenderness of prayer with the solitary echo of the divine. She means it too. Just listen to her.

Jeff Simon, Listening Post, Buffalo News, Mar 15, 2009
That should end the debate, but advocates hope that Congress' plenary authority over the District might trump provisions like that Composition Clause -- an absurd notion for many constitutional scholars.

Jonathan Turley, "D.C.'s speed bump: the Constitution; Congress' effort to give District a vote is misguided, dangerous", USA TODAY, Mar 4, 2009
"A spaceship," Greta said coolly, sipping lemonade. "They have been in contact with it now for about three days, and they're thinking of calling a plenary session of the UN just to figure out what to do about it. The only hitch is, Russia doesn't want to wait that long, and is asking for a hurry-up summit meeting to make a decision."

Henry Slesar (1927-2002 American author, playwright and copywriter. The Delegate from Venus (1958)

Origin of the Word

Plenary, approximately 1517, derives from Late Latin plenarius "entire, complete, and from Latin plenus "full," from PIE *ple- "to be full"