plus

American  

[pluhs] / plʌs /

preposition

1. more by the addition of; increased by.

   ten plus two is twelve.

2. with the addition of; with.

   He had wealth plus fame.

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adjective

1. involving or noting addition.

2. positive.

   a plus quantity.

3. more (by a certain amount).

4. Electricity. pertaining to or characterized by positive electricity.

   the plus terminal.

5. Mycology. (in heterothallic fungi) designating, in the absence of morphological differentiation, one of the two strains of mycelia that unite in the sexual process.

6. having a certain quality to an unusual degree.

   He has personality plus.

noun

pluses, plural plusses plural

1. a plus quantity.

2. Arithmetic. plus sign.

3. something additional.

4. a surplus or gain.

conjunction

1. Informal. also; and; furthermore.

   A bicycle is cheaper than a car, plus it doesn't pollute the air.

adverb

1. in addition; besides.

idioms

1. pluses and minuses, the good and bad points of something; the advantages and disadvantages; the pros and cons.

   She spent hours listing the pluses and minuses of each of the apartments she had looked at, trying to narrow down her choices.

plus British  

/ plʌs /

preposition

1. increased by the addition of

   four plus two (written 4 + 2)

2. with or with the addition of

   a good job, plus a new car

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adjective

1. Also: positive.  (prenominal) indicating or involving addition

   a plus sign

2. another word for positive positive

3. on the positive part of a scale or coordinate axis

   a value of +x

4. indicating the positive side of an electrical circuit

5. involving positive advantage or good

   a plus factor

6. informal (postpositive) having a value above that which is stated or expected

   she had charm plus

7. (postpositive) slightly above a specified standard on a particular grade or percentage

   he received a B+ rating on his essay

8. botany designating the strain of fungus that can only undergo sexual reproduction with a minus strain

noun

1. short for plus sign

2. a positive quantity

3. informal something positive or to the good

4. a gain, surplus, or advantage

Usage

Since plus as a preposition has long had the meanings “more by the addition of ” and “with the addition of,” it was but a short step to a newer use, mainly in informal writing and speech, as a conjunction meaning “also, and, furthermore.” Although this use is increasing, many object to it, and it is rare in more formal writing. And plus is likewise objected to, especially for being redundant: The paper was delivered two hours late, and plus it was soaking wet.

Plus, together with, and along with do not create compound subjects in the way that and does: the number of the verb depends on that of the subject to which plus, together with, or along with is added: this task, plus all the others, was (not were ) undertaken by the government; the doctor, together with the nurses, was (not were ) waiting for the patient

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• plusses
  plural
• pluses
  plural

Etymology

Origin of plus

First recorded in 1570–80; from Latin plūs “more”; akin to Greek pleíōn, Old Norse fleiri “more,” Old English feolu, fela, German viel, Gothic filu, Old Irish il, Greek polý “many”

Explanation

A plus is an “advantage” or an “asset.” You might look silly walking around with flippers all day, but if you lived underwater, they would definitely be a plus. In Latin, the route plus means “more.” The word plus in English can have many senses, all relating to this idea of more, addition, or positive. This noun sense of the word means “a positive quality.” In the same way a number above zero on a number line is positive, and can use a plus sign, a plus is "a positive asset," like a superhero’s ability to fly or a spy’s ability to speak several languages.

Example Sentences

Forty-eight teams will contest the tournament, which will be played out in 104 matches across three countries over 39 days, including the co-hosts - Canada, Mexico and the United States - plus holders Argentina.

From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026

For those familiar with options, the mandatory convertible amounts to common stock plus the sale of a call spread.

From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026

“Pretend You’re Dead and I Carry You” alchemized those months of research, plus a decade of drafts, residencies at the Headland Center for the Arts and Hedgebrook, as well as notebooks upon notebooks.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026

Far from Pyongyang, Weston spotted a new fleet of taxis, plus modern buildings replacing older houses.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

The animals were flanked by thirty drivers plus a dozen guardsmen who protected against bandits, settled arguments, and arranged for lodging.

From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri

Related Words

• excess
• extra