plenipotentiary

1 of 2

adjective

plen·i·po·ten·tia·ry ˌple-nə-pə-ˈten(t)-sh(ə-)rē How to pronounce plenipotentiary (audio)

-shē-ˌer-ē

: invested with full power

: of or relating to a plenipotentiary

plenipotentiary

2 of 2

noun

plural plenipotentiaries

: a person and especially a diplomatic agent invested with full power to transact business

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The adjective plenipotentiary is typically used, as in our second example, after the noun it modifies in the ranking of diplomatic hierarchy. Plenipotentiary gets its power from its Latin roots: plenus, meaning "full," and potens, "powerful." When government leaders dispatch their ambassador plenipotentiary, minister plenipotentiary, or envoy plenipotentiary, they are not just sending an agent to deal with foreign affairs but one having full power to act on the behalf of his or her country and government. The word extraordinary is also found in titles of government representatives-sometimes in combination with plenipotentiary (as in "Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary")-to denote an agent assigned to a particular (or extraordinary) diplomatic mission. Both the adjective and the noun plenipotentiary (meaning "a person invested with full power to transact business") appeared in the mid-17th century.

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Belichick’s plenipotentiary football power, which has produced six Super Bowl titles, is rented.

Christopher L. Gasper, BostonGlobe.com, 8 Sep. 2022 The Scripps National Spelling Bee has come to a close, and this year has once again reminded us how brilliant these kids are, able to spell words like sesquipedalian and plenipotentiary with zero hesitation.

Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 3 June 2022 After Teruzzi was made plenipotentiary to the Italian colony in Cyrenaica, the two splashed out on sumptuous receptions and a splendid rococo residence.

Caroline Moorehead, WSJ, 2 Oct. 2020 His previous postings have included stints as attaché in Saudi Arabia, ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary in Malawi and Liberia, and then as director-general of the department of African Affairs at the foreign ministry.

Kwasi Gyamfi Asiedu, Quartz Africa, 21 Mar. 2020 After nearly a decade as Russia's ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary, arguably his country's most critical foreign emissary, the sixty-six-year-old is now a pariah in Washington.

Garrett M. Graff, Esquire, 11 May 2017

Noun

Walpole’s most frequent correspondent was Horace Mann, the British plenipotentiary in Florence, Italy.

Catherine Ostler, WSJ, 15 Apr. 2022 Then came Bob, the king of Thailand’s valet plenipotentiary.

Alejandro Varela, Harper's magazine, 16 Sep. 2019 Morris was eventually the United States’ plenipotentiary to France and spent years afterward touring Europe and having affairs there.

Michael Brendan Dougherty, National Review, 4 June 2019 See More

单词	plenipotentiary
释义	plenipotentiary 1 of 2 adjective plen·i·po·ten·tia·ry ˌple-nə-pə-ˈten(t)-sh(ə-)rē -shē-ˌer-ē 1 : invested with full power 2 : of or relating to a plenipotentiary plenipotentiary 2 of 2 noun plural plenipotentiaries : a person and especially a diplomatic agent invested with full power to transact business Did you know? The adjective plenipotentiary is typically used, as in our second example, after the noun it modifies in the ranking of diplomatic hierarchy. Plenipotentiary gets its power from its Latin roots: plenus, meaning "full," and potens, "powerful." When government leaders dispatch their ambassador plenipotentiary, minister plenipotentiary, or envoy plenipotentiary, they are not just sending an agent to deal with foreign affairs but one having full power to act on the behalf of his or her country and government. The word extraordinary is also found in titles of government representatives-sometimes in combination with plenipotentiary (as in "Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary")-to denote an agent assigned to a particular (or extraordinary) diplomatic mission. Both the adjective and the noun plenipotentiary (meaning "a person invested with full power to transact business") appeared in the mid-17th century. Example Sentences Recent Examples on the Web Adjective Belichick’s plenipotentiary football power, which has produced six Super Bowl titles, is rented. Christopher L. Gasper, BostonGlobe.com, 8 Sep. 2022 The Scripps National Spelling Bee has come to a close, and this year has once again reminded us how brilliant these kids are, able to spell words like sesquipedalian and plenipotentiary with zero hesitation. Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 3 June 2022 After Teruzzi was made plenipotentiary to the Italian colony in Cyrenaica, the two splashed out on sumptuous receptions and a splendid rococo residence. Caroline Moorehead, WSJ, 2 Oct. 2020 His previous postings have included stints as attaché in Saudi Arabia, ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary in Malawi and Liberia, and then as director-general of the department of African Affairs at the foreign ministry. Kwasi Gyamfi Asiedu, Quartz Africa, 21 Mar. 2020 After nearly a decade as Russia's ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary, arguably his country's most critical foreign emissary, the sixty-six-year-old is now a pariah in Washington. Garrett M. Graff, Esquire, 11 May 2017 Noun Walpole’s most frequent correspondent was Horace Mann, the British plenipotentiary in Florence, Italy. Catherine Ostler, WSJ, 15 Apr. 2022 Then came Bob, the king of Thailand’s valet plenipotentiary. Alejandro Varela, Harper's magazine, 16 Sep. 2019 Morris was eventually the United States’ plenipotentiary to France and spent years afterward touring Europe and having affairs there. Michael Brendan Dougherty, National Review, 4 June 2019 See More Word History Etymology Adjective borrowed from Medieval Latin plēnipotentiārius, from plēnipotentia "full power or authority" (noun derivative of Late Latin plēnipotent-, plēnipotens "invested with full power, plenipotent") + Latin -ārius -ary entry 2 Noun borrowed from Medieval Latin plēnipotentiārius, noun derivative of plēnipotentiārius plenipotentiary entry 1 First Known Use Adjective 1646, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Noun 1648, in the meaning defined above Phrases Containing plenipotentiary minister plenipotentiary minister plenipotentiary plenipotentiary noun as in ambassador technical a person (such as a diplomat) who has complete power to do business for a government Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance ambassador diplomat diplomatist emissary legate envoy foreign minister attorney procurator deputy delegate rep minister assignee proxy representative manager commissary agent distributor factor broker intermediary arbitrator mediator arbiter conciliator peacemaker liaison intercessor middleman comprador spokesman spokesperson mouthpiece speaker prophet compradore go-between point man interposer point person
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plenipotentiary

adjective

noun

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Example Sentences

Word History

Phrases Containing plenipotentiary

noun