Plenary definition | Dictionary.com

ple⋅na⋅ry

[plee-nuh-ree, plen-uh-]

adjective, noun, plural -ries.

–adjective

1.	full; complete; entire; absolute; unqualified: plenary powers.

2.	attended by all qualified members; fully constituted: a plenary session of Congress.

–noun

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

Origin:
1375–1425; < LL plēnārius (see plenum, -ary ); r. late ME plener < AF < LL plēnāris (see -ar ¹ )

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

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ple·na·ry (plē'nə-rē, plěn'ə-) Pronunciation Key
adj.

Complete in all respects; unlimited or full: a diplomat with plenary powers.
Fully attended by all qualified members: a plenary session of the council.

[Late Latin plēnārius, from Latin plēnus, full; see pelə-¹ in Indo-European roots.]
ple'na·ri·ly adv., ple'na·ri·ness n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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plenary

1517, earlier plenar (c.1290), from M.L. plenarius "entire, complete," from L. plenus "full," from PIE *ple- "to be full" (see poly-).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper

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plenary
adjective
full in all respects; "a plenary session of the legislature"; "a diplomat with plenary powers"

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.

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Main Entry: ple·na·ry
Pronunciation: 'plE-n&-rE, 'ple-
Function: adjective
: full and complete in every respect: as a : ABSOLUTE 1 <plenary power> b : fully attended or constituted plenary session of the legislature> c : including all steps in due order plenary proceeding> —compare SUMMARY

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.

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Plenary

Ple"na*ry\, a. [LL. plenarius, fr. L. plenus full. See Plenty.] Full; entire; complete; absolute; as, a plenary license; plenary authority.

A treatise on a subject should be plenary or full. --I. Watts.

Plenary indulgence (R. C. Ch.), an entire remission of temporal punishment due to, or canonical penance for, all sins.

Plenary inspiration. (Theol.) See under Inspiration.

Plenary

Ple"na*ry\, n. (Law) Decisive procedure. [Obs.]