plenary

American  

[plee-nuh-ree, plen-uh-] / ˈpli nə ri, ˈplɛn ə- /

adjective

1. full; complete; entire; absolute; unqualified.

   plenary powers.

2. attended by all qualified members; fully constituted.

   a plenary session of Congress.

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noun

plural

plenaries

1. a plenary session, meeting, or the like.

plenary British  

/ ˈplɛn-, ˈpliːnərɪ /

adjective

1. full, unqualified, or complete

   plenary powers

   plenary indulgence

2. (of assemblies, councils, etc) attended by all the members

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noun

1. a book of the gospels or epistles and homilies read at the Eucharist

Other Word Forms

• plenarily adverb

Etymology

Origin of plenary

First recorded in 1375–1425; from Late Latin plēnārius ( plenum, -ary ); replacing late Middle English plener, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin plēnāris ( -ar ¹ )

Example Sentences

The committee's findings will be forwarded to the House plenary for a vote, where the approval of one-third of its members is needed to forward the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate for trial.

From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026

I think, frankly, he enjoys foreign policy because it is an area where the presidency has plenary power.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 5, 2026

There is one female toilet with two cubicles near the plenary chamber, though the entire building itself has nine female toilets with 22 cubicles.

From BBC • Jan. 1, 2026

However, there is one area in which the president does have absolute plenary authority: The power of the pardon.

From Salon • Nov. 16, 2025

But those short moments had made it all worthwhile, those moments of pure plenary abandon, when he felt as if he, and he alone, were in control of the universe of his childhood.

From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie