What does "plurality" mean?
The state of being plural.
Plurality
/plʊˈɹæləti/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The state of being plural.
- Grammar: plurality is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: a mass of, a world of, army, battalion.
- Useful contrasts: absolute majority, majority, monism.
- Usage evidence: While there is a plurality of Tatoeba sentences in English, it is encouraging that Esperanto, Italian, German, Turkish, Russian, French and Spanish already have respectable numbers of sentences as well.
How to use "plurality"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "plurality" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "plurality" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "plurality" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "plurality" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "plurality" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "a mass of" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "plurality", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The state of being plural. uncountable
"Nominal plurality in Basque is originally exclusively marked on definite determiners and not on nouns."
- 2 (in an election with more than 2 options) the number of votes for the candidate or party receiving the greatest number (but less than half of the votes) wordnet
- 3 The holding of multiple benefices. countable, uncountable
"It was the complaint and lamentation of Prelats, upon every least breath of a motion to remove pluralities, and distribute more equally Church revennu's, that then all learning would be for ever dasht and discourag'd."
- 4 a large indefinite quantity wordnet
- 5 A state of being numerous. countable
Show 8 more definitions
- 6 the state of being plural wordnet
- 7 A number or part of a whole which is greater than any other number or part, but not necessarily a majority. countable
- 8 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. countable
"To repeal the tax (Question I), a 50 per cent majority vote is required. To keep the tax in its 1976 form (Question III), only a plurality of votes is required."
- 9 A margin by which a number exceeds another number, especially of votes. countable
"Truman's total vote was 24,104,836. Dewey received 21,969,500;[…]. Truman won by a plurality of 2,135,336, but it was the first time since 1916 that a winner has failed to capture a majority of all votes cast."
- 10 A group of many entities: a large number. countable
"A plurality of ideas were put forth at the meeting, most of which were rejected out of hand."
- 11 A group composed of more than one entity. countable
"The array is organized into a plurality of vertical (column) blocks."
- 12 Polygamy. countable, uncountable
- 13 Synonym of multiplicity (“the condition whereby a person displays or experiences multiple distinct personalities or selves in one body”). countable, uncountable
"In this paper I argue that hearing voices experiences and plurality are part of a broad, rich, and complex spectrum of human experience, […]"
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"While there is a plurality of Tatoeba sentences in English, it is encouraging that Esperanto, Italian, German, Turkish, Russian, French and Spanish already have respectable numbers of sentences as well."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "plurality"?
Common synonyms include: a mass of, a world of, army, battalion, best part, better part.
How do you use "plurality" in a sentence?
While there is a plurality of Tatoeba sentences in English, it is encouraging that Esperanto, Italian, German, Turkish, Russian, French and Spanish already have respectable numbers of sentences as well.
How do you pronounce "plurality"?
Pronounced /plʊˈɹæləti/.
Etymology
From plural + -ity, from Middle English pluralite, from Old French pluralité (“multitude, state of being plural”), from Latin plūrālitās.