PLA

American

abbreviation

People's Liberation Army.

PLA British

abbreviation

Port of London Authority

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“Zhang’s intellect, experience and his relationship with Xi made honesty and objectivity possible, and that makes him an exception among PLA generals.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 8, 2026

Han, 70, served as the PLA army's commander from August 2017 until he retired in June 2021.

From BBC • Mar. 3, 2026

The latest remarks come as part of Xi's annual Chinese New Year greetings to the PLA.

From BBC • Feb. 11, 2026

However, the PLA Daily -- the Chinese military's mouthpiece -- said they were "corrupt elements" in a front-page editorial published Monday.

From Barron's • Feb. 2, 2026

The PLA remains one of the world’s largest and most formidable armed forces, with an estimated two million personnel operating advanced armaments from stealth fighters to aircraft carriers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 28, 2026

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023