plenty English · revision 3893

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1250|origins=la plēnus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˈplen.ti/, US /ˈplen.t̬i/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|plente]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) [[bor|fro|plenté]], earlier plentet “abundance, profusion”,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[la|plēnitās|t=fullness]] (accusative plēnitātem),^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[m|la|plēnus|t=full]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[ine-pro|*pele-|t=to fill]].^(Etymonline) Middle English also had plenteth, from the older Old French form, until the mid to late 15th century.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) It is related to [[full]], [[plenary]] and [[plenitude]].^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A full supply, abundance: before 1250, in a version of the ''Ancrene Riwle'',^(Barnhart 1988) and the mid-13th century in Etymonline, as much as one could desire.^(Etymonline) Its early senses also included “fullness” and “perfection”.^(Cresswell 2021)^(NODE 1998)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ “A large amount, a great deal” is from the early 14th century,^(Etymonline) and the condition of general abundance, as in times of plenty, from the late 14th century.^(Etymonline) The OED dates “abundance” to 1382.^(OED 1989) The adjective, “abundant”, is from before 1325, in ''Cursor Mundi'',^(Barnhart 1988) and the spelling plenty from 1373.^(Barnhart 1988) The colloquial adverb, “quite, very much”, is from 1842^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) or 1775 in Merriam-Webster.^(MWU 2024) [[plentiful]] is from about 1400.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1250 – abundance.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * early 14th century – a large amount.^(Etymonline)

+ * before 1325 – adjective.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1373 – spelling ''plenty''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * late 14th century – general prosperity.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1400 – ''plentiful''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1842 – adverb, very.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A full or more than adequate supply: ''plenty of time''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A large quantity; an [[abundance]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # General [[prosperity]]: ''a land of plenty''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # ''(informal)'' [[plentiful|alt=Plentiful]]; abundant.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # ''(informal)'' Quite; very: ''plenty warm''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[aplenty]]

+ * [[plenteous]]

+ * [[plentiful]]

+ * [[horn of plenty]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[plenitude]]

+ * [[plentitude]]

+ * [[plenary]]

+ * [[plethora]]

+ * [[full]]

+ * [[replete]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}