English
plurality
Plurality comes from Old French pluralité ‘multitude, state of being plural’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *pleh₁- ‘fill’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*pleh₁-‘fill’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEplūs
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEplūrālis
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEplūrālitās
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400pluralité‘multitude, state of being plural’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500pluralite
- Englishearliest quotation 1644plurality
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*pleh₁-‘fill’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEplūs
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEplūrālis
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEplūrālitās
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400pluralité‘multitude, state of being plural’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500pluralite
- Englishearliest quotation 1644plurality
Earliest quotation: 1644, John Milton: “It was the complaint and lamentation of Prelats, upon…”
Formed from plural + -ity
Proto-Indo-European *pleh₁- ‘to fill’
…
Latin plūs
Old French plūs ‘more than’
Old French plurel
Middle English plurelle
English plural
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *pleh₁- ‘fill’
people, full, public, popular, complete, fill, supply, plenty, poll, plain, folk, completion, implement, supplement, comply, manipulation, accomplish, complement, ample, surplus, depletion, plenary, plethora, replenish, amplitude, amplify, replete, puri, plenum, volk, deplete, plebs, plebeian, fulsome, 74 more
through Latin plūs
Today it means
noun The state of being plural.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *pleh₁- / plurality