PLENARY definition: full; complete; entire; absolute; unqualified. See examples of plenary used in a sentence.

full, complete, plenary, replete mean containing all that is wanted or needed or possible. full implies the presence or inclusion of everything that is wanted or required by something or that can be held, …

Add to word list having all the members of a group or organization present: a plenary session (Definition of plenary from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

1. Complete in all respects; unlimited or full: a diplomat with plenary powers. 2. Fully attended by all qualified members: a plenary session of the council.

A plenary session or plenary meeting is one that is attended by everyone who has the right to attend.

Although the adjective plenary can be used to describe anything that is full or complete, it most often describes a full meeting session, as in a political meeting or a board meeting.

There are eight meanings listed in OED's entry for the word plenary, two of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

Jan 17, 2026 · Adjective plenary (comparative more plenary, superlative most plenary) Fully attended by a plenum; for everyone's attendance. (theology or law) Complete; full; entire; absolute.

ple•na•ry (plē′ nə rē, plen′ ə-), adj, n., pl. -ries. adj. full; complete; entire; absolute; unqualified: plenary powers. attended by all qualified members; fully constituted: a plenary session of Congress. n. a …

Plenary refers to a session, meeting, or assembly that is attended by all participants. It is often used in the context of conferences, where plenary sessions bring together all delegates to listen to keynotes …