noun
Meaning 1
The state of being plural.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
plurality
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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/plʊˈɹæləti/
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/plʊˈɹælɪti/
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General-American: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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rhymes with -ælɪti
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CMU ARPABET: P L ER0 AE1 L IH0 T IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
noun
Meaning 2
The holding of multiple benefices.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: ecclesiastical, lifestyle, religion
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: pluralism
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 3
A state of being numerous.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: multiplicity
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 4
A number or part of a whole which is greater than any other number or part, but not necessarily a majority.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 5
A number of votes for a single candidate or position which is greater than the number of votes gained by any other single candidate or position voted for, but which is less than a majority of valid votes cast.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: relative majority
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 6
A margin by which a number exceeds another number, especially of votes.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 7
A group of many entities: a large number.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable
Examples
- A plurality of ideas were put forth at the meeting, most of which were rejected out of hand.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 8
A group composed of more than one entity.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 9
Polygamy.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 10
Synonym of multiplicity (“the condition whereby a person displays or experiences multiple distinct personalities or selves in one body”).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: human-sciences, psychology, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: multiplicity
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 11
(in an election with more than 2 options) the number of votes for the candidate or party receiving the greatest number (but less that half of the votes)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: relative majority
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: relative quantity
noun
Meaning 12
a large indefinite number
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- a battalion of ants
- a multitude of TV antennas
- a plurality of religions
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: battalion, large number, multitude, pack
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: large indefinite quantity, large indefinite amount
noun
Meaning 13
the state of being plural
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- to mark plurality, one language may add an extra syllable to the word whereas another may simply change the vowel in the existing final syllable
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: state
History
Etymology
From plural + -ity, from Middle English pluralite, from Old French pluralité (“multitude, state of being plural”), from Latin plūrālitās.
Across languages
Translations
57 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Bulgarian: множественост (množestvenost) — the state of being plural
- Bulgarian: многочисленост (mnogočislenost) — the state of being plural
- Catalan: pluralitat — the state of being plural
- Dutch: pluraliteit — the state of being plural
- Finnish: monikollisuus — the state of being plural
- Finnish: moninaisuus — the state of being plural
- French: pluralité — the state of being plural
- Galician: pluralidade — the state of being plural
- Georgian: მრავლობითობა (mravlobitoba) — the state of being plural
- Georgian: უმრავლესობა (umravlesoba) — the state of being plural
- Georgian: უმეტესობა (umeṭesoba) — the state of being plural
- German: Pluralität — the state of being plural
- Greek: πολλαπλότητα (pollaplótita) — the state of being plural
- Hungarian: pluralizmus — the state of being plural
- Hungarian: többes szám — the state of being plural
- Indonesian: pluralitas — the state of being plural
- Indonesian: kemajemukan — the state of being plural
- Indonesian: keanekaragaman — the state of being plural
- Italian: pluralità — the state of being plural
- Latin: plūrālitās — the state of being plural
- Malay: kejamakan — the state of being plural
- Malay: kemajmukan — the state of being plural
- Manx: yl-raght — the state of being plural
- Portuguese: pluralidade — the state of being plural
- Romanian: pluralitate — the state of being plural
- Russian: мно́жественность (mnóžestvennostʹ) — the state of being plural
- Spanish: pluralidad — the state of being plural
- Turkish: çoğulluk — the state of being plural
- Finnish: useamman kirkkoherranviran pitäminen — ecclesiastical: the holding of multiple benefices
- Hungarian: javadalomhalmozás — ecclesiastical: the holding of multiple benefices
- Hungarian: -halmozás — ecclesiastical: the holding of multiple benefices
- Finnish: runsaus — a state of being numerous
- Finnish: lukuisuus — a state of being numerous
- Bulgarian: болшинство (bolšinstvo) — most votes in election, but less than 50%
- Dutch: relatieve meerderheid — most votes in election, but less than 50%
- Dutch: merendeel — most votes in election, but less than 50%
- Esperanto: relativa plimulto — most votes in election, but less than 50%
- Finnish: suhteellinen enemmistö — most votes in election, but less than 50%
- Georgian: შედარებითი უმრავლესობა (šedarebiti umravlesoba) — most votes in election, but less than 50%
- Georgian: ფარდობითი უმრავლესობა (pardobiti umravlesoba) — most votes in election, but less than 50%
- Hebrew: רוב יַחֲסִי (rov yahasi) — most votes in election, but less than 50%
- Hungarian: relatív többség — most votes in election, but less than 50%
- Persian: اکثریت نسبی (aksariyat-e nesbi) — most votes in election, but less than 50%
- Polish: większość względna — most votes in election, but less than 50%
- Swedish: relativ majoritet — most votes in election, but less than 50%
- Swedish: enkel majoritet — most votes in election, but less than 50%
- Finnish: ääniero — a margin by which a number exceeds another number, especially of votes
- Finnish: joukko — group of many entities: a large number
- Finnish: kasa — group of many entities: a large number
- Finnish: liuta — group of many entities: a large number
- Hungarian: sokaság — group of many entities: a large number
- Bulgarian: множество (množestvo) — group composed of more than one entity
- Catalan: pluralitat — group composed of more than one entity
- Esperanto: pluraĵo — group composed of more than one entity
- Finnish: moninaisuus — group composed of more than one entity
- Russian: мно́жество (mnóžestvo) — group composed of more than one entity
- Finnish: monipersoonallisuus — psychology: the condition of a single body/person displaying multiple distinct personas
Real reading context