Plethora: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Plethora noun. An excess of something; more than is needed or wanted.
How to say it
PLETH-uh-ruh/ˈplɛθ(ə)rə/
3 syllables, stressed on the first (PLETH).
Plethora in a sentence
A plethora of committees meant nothing was ever decided.
The report is weighed down by a plethora of footnotes.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- glut
- surplus
- excess
- overabundance
Opposite:
- dearth
- shortage
- scarcity
Careful
Strictly a plethora is too much of something. It's now often used for simply 'a lot' or 'a wide choice', which dictionaries accept, though careful writers keep the hint of excess.
Where plethora comes from
From Greek plēthōrē, fullness, once a medical term for too much blood.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
The report is weighed down by a _____ of footnotes.
- plethora
- cohort
- enormity
Show the answer
plethora: The report is weighed down by a plethora of footnotes.