plenty

American  

[plen-tee] / ˈplɛn ti /

noun

PLURAL

plenties

1. a full or abundant supply or amount.

   There is plenty of time.

2. the state or quality of being plentiful; abundance.

   resources in plenty.

   Synonyms:

   affluence , luxuriance , copiousness , plenteousness

3. an abundance, as of goods or luxuries, or a time of such abundance.

   the plenty of a rich harvest; the plenty that comes with peace.

---

adjective

1. existing in ample quantity or number; plentiful; abundant.

   Food is never too plenty in the area.

2. more than sufficient; ample.

   That helping is plenty for me.

adverb

1. Informal.  fully; quite.

   plenty good enough.

plenty ¹ British  

/ ˈplɛntɪ /

noun

1. (often foll by of) a great number, amount, or quantity; lots

   plenty of time

   there are plenty of cars on display here

2. generous or ample supplies of wealth, produce, or resources

   the age of plenty

3. existing in abundance

   food in plenty

---

determiner

1. 1. very many; ample

      plenty of people believe in ghosts

   2. ( as pronoun )

      there's plenty more

      that's plenty, thanks

adverb

1. not_standard  (intensifier)

   he was plenty mad

2. informal  more than adequately; abundantly

   the water's plenty hot enough

Plenty ² British  

/ ˈplɛntɪ /

noun

1. a large bay of the Pacific on the NE coast of the North Island, New Zealand

---

plenty Idioms  

1. see under not the only fish in the sea.

---

Usage

The construction plenty of is standard in all varieties of speech and writing: plenty of room in the shed. The use of plenty preceding a noun, without an intervening of, first appeared in the late 19th century: plenty room in the shed. It occurs today chiefly in informal speech. As an adverb, a use first recorded in the mid-19th century, plenty is also informal and is found chiefly in speech or written representations of speech.

Related Words

Plenty, abundance, profusion refer to a large quantity or supply. Plenty suggests a supply that is fully adequate to any demands: plenty of money. Abundance implies a great plenty, an ample and generous oversupply: an abundance of rain. Profusion applies to such a lavish and excessive abundance as often suggests extravagance or prodigality: luxuries in great profusion.

Other Word Forms

• overplenty noun

Etymology

Origin of plenty

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English plente, from Old French; replacing Middle English plenteth, from Old French plented, plentet, from Latin plēnitāt- (stem of plēnitās ) “fullness.” See plenum, -ity

Example Sentences

The Seagulls have got plenty of firepower and a strong squad so, on that basis, I am going to back them.

From BBC

So long as investment in AI hardware continues at its current rapid rate, there should be plenty of room for more than one type of chip.

From Barron's

Jaquez had plenty of help in helping the Bruins post a statement victory over a top team.

From Los Angeles Times

There’s plenty of blame to go around for these baleful developments.

From The Wall Street Journal

Listening to the Celtic fans who have been in touch with BBC Sport Scotland, plenty would be minded to stick with O'Neill through the next couple of weeks at least.

From BBC

Related Words

• enough
• good deal
• luxury
• plethora
• quantity
• torrent
• wealth