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.
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
Take the plurality of the world, and they are
neither wise nor good. --L'Estrange.
[1913 Webster]
3. (Eccl.) See Plurality of benefices, below.
[1913 Webster]
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.]
[1913 Webster]
Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
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56 Moby Thesaurus words for "plurality":
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
Source: Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
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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.]
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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