Plethora — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /ˈple-thə-rə/ pleth·o·ra

Meaning & Definition of Plethora

Plethora (noun)

  1. an ample amount or number, abundance, profusion —usually used with of
  2. a bodily condition characterized by an excess of blood and marked by swelling and redness

Plethora (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. an amount or supply more than sufficient to meet one's needs

    "a biology textbook that is helpfully illustrated with a plethora of excellent illustrations"

    similar: abundance, cornucopia, feast, plenitude, plentitude, plenty, superabundance, wealth, embarrassment of riches
    related: adequacy, competence, competency, sufficiency, ampleness, amplitude, liberality, excess, overdose, overflow, overkill, oversupply, redundancy, superfluity, superfluousness, surfeit, surplus, copiousness, fecundity, fertility, fruitfulness, opulence, richness, lavishness, luxuriance
    opposite: deficiency, inadequacy, insufficiency, undersupply
    near: paucity, poverty, scarcity, barrenness, infertility, sterility

  2. the state or an instance of going beyond what is usual, proper, or needed

    "the author offers a plethora of detail that tends to overwhelm the reader"

    similar: bellyful, excess, fat, overabundance, overage, overflow, overkill, overmuch, overplus, oversupply, plus, redundancy, superabundance, superfluity, surfeit, surplus, surplusage
    related: abundance, bounty, plentitude, plenty, profusion, sufficiency, overproduction, overstock
    opposite: deficiency, deficit, insufficiency, undersupply
    near: dearth, lack, scarcity, want

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Plethora

The most common words with a similar meaning to Plethora:

abundance, cornucopia, feast, plenitude, plentitude, plenty, superabundance, wealth, bellyful, excess, fat, overabundance, overage, overflow, overkill, overmuch, overplus, oversupply, plus, redundancy, superfluity, surfeit, surplus, surplusage, embarrassment of riches

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Plethora

Words with the opposite meaning of Plethora:

deficiency, inadequacy, insufficiency, undersupply, deficit

Related Words for Plethora

adequacy, competence, competency, sufficiency, ampleness, amplitude, liberality, overdose, superfluousness, copiousness, fecundity, fertility, fruitfulness, opulence, richness, lavishness, luxuriance, bounty, profusion, overproduction, overstock

Near Antonyms of Plethora

paucity, poverty, scarcity, barrenness, infertility, sterility, dearth, lack, want

Word Forms of Plethora

Derived words: plethoric (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Plethora

borrowed from Late Latin plēthōra, plētūra "fullness, overabundance of a humor," borrowed from Greek plēthṓra (Ionic plēthṓrē) "fullness, crowdedness (of a marketplace at peak hour), excess of a humor or blood," from plēth-, base of plḗthein "to be full" + -ōra, -ōrē, probably dissimilated variant of -ōlē, suffix of deverbal nouns; plḗthein going back to Indo-European *pléh1-dh-, extended form of the verbal base *pleh1- "become full," with *-dh- marking a completed state full:1

First known use: circa 1541

Frequently Asked Questions about Plethora

What does "Plethora" mean?

"Plethora" means an ample amount or number, abundance, profusion —usually used with of. As a noun, it is defined as: an ample amount or number, abundance, profusion —usually used with of. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Plethora"?

Other words for "Plethora" include abundance, cornucopia, feast, plenitude, plentitude, plenty, superabundance and wealth. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Plethora" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Plethora"?

There are 46 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Plethora". Common alternatives include abundance, cornucopia, feast, plenitude, plentitude, plenty, superabundance, wealth, bellyful and excess.

What is the opposite of "Plethora"?

Antonyms of "Plethora" include deficiency, inadequacy, insufficiency, undersupply and deficit. Near antonyms include paucity, poverty, scarcity and barrenness.

How do you use "Plethora" in a sentence?

Examples of "Plethora" in a sentence: "a biology textbook that is helpfully illustrated with a plethora of excellent illustrations"; "the author offers a plethora of detail that tends to overwhelm the reader".

Is "Plethora" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Plethora" is a noun.

How do you pronounce "Plethora"?

"Plethora" is pronounced /ˈple-thə-rə/ and divided into syllables as pleth·o·ra.

What is the origin of the word "Plethora"?

"Plethora" comes from borrowed from Late Latin plēthōra, plētūra "fullness, overabundance of a humor," borrowed from Greek plēthṓra (Ionic plēthṓrē) "fullness, crowdedness (of a marketplace at peak hour), excess of a humor or blood," from plēth-, base of plḗthein "to be full" + -ōra, -ōrē, probably dissimilated variant of -ōlē, suffix of deverbal nouns; plḗthein going back to Indo-European *pléh1-dh-, extended form of the verbal base *pleh1- "become full," with *-dh- marking a completed state full:1. First known use: circa 1541.