plurality

[ ploo-ral-i-tee ]

noun

, plural plu·ral·i·ties.

1. the excess of votes received by the leading candidate, in an election in which there are three or more candidates, over those received by the next candidate ( majority ).
2. more than half of the whole; the majority.
3. a number greater than one.
4. fact of being numerous.
5. a large number; multitude.
6. state or fact of being plural.
7. Ecclesiastical.
   1. the holding by one person of two or more benefices at the same time; pluralism.
   2. any of the benefices so held.

plurality

/ plʊəˈrælɪtɪ /

noun

1. the state of being plural or numerous
2. maths a number greater than one
3. the excess of votes or seats won by the winner of an election over the runner-up when no candidate or party has more than 50 per cent British equivalentrelative majority
4. a large number
5. the greater number; majority
6. another word for pluralism

Other Words From

• nonplu·rali·ty noun plural nonpluralities

Word History and Origins

Origin of plurality¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English pluralite, from Old French, from Late Latin plūrālitās; plural, -ity

Synonym Study

See majority.

Example Sentences

The same share of white women that voted for Trump over Harris, based on exit polls, supported Trump over Biden in 2020, which followed the plurality of white women who supported Trump over Clinton in 2016.

From Los Angeles Times

The system, which largely grants plurality winners in each state the bulk of its electors, keeps some voters home, O’Donnell argued.

From Salon

I’ll work as hard as I can to get Republicans in Congress to realize the injustice and racism of denying the right to vote to over 700,000 American citizens, the majority of whom are people of color, a plurality of whom are Black.

From Slate

What is ultimately most disquieting about this election is that there is a real chance that a plurality or perhaps even a majority of the American people will endorse Trump’s chaotic brand of authoritarian vengeance politics.

From Slate

Next Tuesday will reveal whether a majority of the American public – or at least a plurality in enough key battleground states - agrees.

From BBC