Adjacent Words

Plurality definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

PLURAL'ITY, n. [L. pluralis.]
1. A number consisting of two or more of the same kind; as a plurality of gods; a plurality of worlds.
2. A state of being or having a greater number.
3. In elections, a plurality of votes is when one candidate has more votes than any other, but less than half of the whole number of votes given. It is thus distinguished from a majority, which is more than half of the whole number.
4. Plurality of benefices, is where the same clerk is possessed of more benefices than one, with cure of souls. In this case, each benefice thus held is called a plurality.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: the state of being plural; "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"
2: a large indefinite number; "a battalion of ants"; "a multitude of TV antennas"; "a plurality of religions" [syn: battalion, large number, multitude, plurality, pack]
3: (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) [syn: plurality, relative majority]

Merriam Webster's

noun (plural -ties) Date: 14th century 1. a. the state of being plural b. the state of being numerous c. a large number or quantity 2. pluralism 1; also a benefice held by pluralism 3. a. a number greater than another b. an excess of votes over those cast for an opposing candidate c. a number of votes cast for a candidate in a contest of more than two candidates that is greater than the number cast for any other candidate but not more than half the total votes cast

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. (pl. -ies) 1 the state of being plural. 2 = PLURALISM 1. 3 a large or the greater number. 4 US a majority that is not absolute. Etymology: ME f. OF pluralité f. LL pluralitas (as PLURAL)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Plurality Plu*ral"i*ty, n.; pl. pluralities. [L. pluralitas: cf. F. pluralit['e].] 1. The state of being plural, or consisting of more than one; a number consisting of two or more of the same kind; as, a plurality of worlds; the plurality of a verb. 2. The greater number; a majority; also, the greatest of several numbers; in elections, the excess of the votes given for one candidate over those given for another, or for any other, candidate. When there are more than two candidates, the one who receives the plurality of votes may have less than a majority. See Majority. Take the plurality of the world, and they are neither wise nor good. --L'Estrange. 3. (Eccl.) See Plurality of benefices, below. Plurality of benefices (Eccl.), the possession by one clergyman of more than one benefice or living. Each benefice thus held is called a plurality. [Eng.]

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(pluralities) 1. If there is a plurality of things, a number of them exist. (FORMAL) Federalism implies a plurality of political authorities, each with its own powers. QUANT-PLURAL 2. If a candidate, political party, or idea has the support of a plurality of people, they have more support than any other candidate, party, or idea. (FORMAL) The Conservative party retained a plurality of the votes... QUANT-PLURAL 3. A plurality in an election is the number of votes that the winner gets, when this is less than the total number of votes for all the other candidates. (AM) He only got a plurality on November 3rd, just 49 percent. N-COUNT 4. A plurality in an election is the difference in the number of votes between the candidate who gets the most votes and the candidate who comes second. (AM) Franklin had won with a plurality in electoral votes of 449 to 82. = majority N-COUNT

Moby Thesaurus

a mass of, a world of, army, best part, better part, bevy, body, bulk, bunch, cloud, clutter, covey, essence, flight, flock, flocks, generality, gist, gravamen, hail, hive, host, jam, large amount, legion, lots, main body, major part, majority, many, mass, masses of, meat, mob, more than half, most, muchness, multitude, nest, numbers, pack, preponderance, preponderancy, quantities, quite a few, rout, ruck, scores, shoal, substance, swarm, the greatest number, throng, thrust, tidy sum, worlds of