Word of the Day - 08/08/26
plethora
/'plɛθərə/(n.): plenty; potentially to the point of excess
The online streaming service boasts a plethora of movies and TV shows, making it almost impossible to choose what to watch.
Word Origin
The word 'plethora' originates from Late Latin 'plethora', which itself comes from the Greek word 'plēthōra' meaning "fullness" or "repletion". This Greek term is derived from 'plēthein', "to be full," ultimately stemming from the Proto-Indo-European root *pele-, meaning "to fill." Initially, in the late 16th century, 'plethora' was a medical term referring to a superabundance of bodily humors. Its more general sense of "excess" or "overabundance" developed in the early 17th century.
Many words in English share the same Proto-Indo-European root *pele- ("to fill"), from which 'plethora' ultimately derives. Examples include 'plenty', 'plenitude', 'complete', 'complement', 'supply', 'replenish', 'fill', and 'full'.