Etymology From Anglo-Norman plent(é) + -y, from Middle English plentie, plentee, plente, from Anglo-Norman plenté, from Old French plenté, from Latin plēnitātem, accusative of plēnitās (“fullness”), from plenus (“complete, full”), from Proto-Indo-European *pl̥h₁nós (“full”), from which English full also comes, via Proto-Germanic. Related to the Latin derivatives replenish, plenary, complete, deplete, replete.
1
A more-than-adequate amount; plenitude; a great deal.
We are lucky to live in a land of peace and plenty.
During this season of distress, the discouragements to marriage, and the difficulty of rearing a family are so great that population is at a stand. In the mean time the cheapness of labour, the plenty of labourers, and the necessity of an increased industry amongst them, encourage cultivators to employ more labour upon their land, to turn up fresh soil, and to manure and improve more completely what is already in tillage.1798, Thomas Malthus, An Essay on the Principle of Population:
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'It's all right, darling,' said Bond, pulling out his notecase. 'You've forgotten you gave me your money to look after before we left the house.' 'Guess the lady'll need plenty for her summer frocks,' said the conductor.1954, Ian Fleming, “The Silver Phantom”, in Live and Let Die, London: Pan Books, published 1957, page 100:
Etymology From Anglo-Norman plent(é) + -y, from Middle English plentie, plentee, plente, from Anglo-Norman plenté, from Old French plenté, from Latin plēnitātem, accusative of plēnitās (“fullness”), from plenus (“complete, full”), from Proto-Indo-European *pl̥h₁nós (“full”), from which English full also comes, via Proto-Germanic. Related to the Latin derivatives replenish, plenary, complete, deplete, replete.
1
More than enough.
Acquire one of these and you'll have plenty of car for your money.
plenty
adv
Etymology From Anglo-Norman plent(é) + -y, from Middle English plentie, plentee, plente, from Anglo-Norman plenté, from Old French plenté, from Latin plēnitātem, accusative of plēnitās (“fullness”), from plenus (“complete, full”), from Proto-Indo-European *pl̥h₁nós (“full”), from which English full also comes, via Proto-Germanic. Related to the Latin derivatives replenish, plenary, complete, deplete, replete.
'Guess the lady'll need plenty for her summer frocks,' said the conductor. 'Shops is plenty expensive in St Pete. Plenty hot down there too. You folks been to Florida before?'1954, Ian Fleming, “The Silver Phantom”, in Live and Let Die, London: Pan Books, published 1957, page 100:
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Seeing clichés mimicked this skillfully is plenty hilarious.2014 June 26, A. A. Dowd, “Paul Rudd and Amy Poehler Spoof Rom-com Clichés in They Came Together”, in The A.V. Club, archived from the original on 07 Dec 2017:
plenty
det
Etymology From Anglo-Norman plent(é) + -y, from Middle English plentie, plentee, plente, from Anglo-Norman plenté, from Old French plenté, from Latin plēnitātem, accusative of plēnitās (“fullness”), from plenus (“complete, full”), from Proto-Indo-European *pl̥h₁nós (“full”), from which English full also comes, via Proto-Germanic. Related to the Latin derivatives replenish, plenary, complete, deplete, replete.
Etymology From Anglo-Norman plent(é) + -y, from Middle English plentie, plentee, plente, from Anglo-Norman plenté, from Old French plenté, from Latin plēnitātem, accusative of plēnitās (“fullness”), from plenus (“complete, full”), from Proto-Indo-European *pl̥h₁nós (“full”), from which English full also comes, via Proto-Germanic. Related to the Latin derivatives replenish, plenary, complete, deplete, replete.
if reasons were as plenty as blackberries1597, Shakespeare, Henry IV, Part I, Act I, Scene IV:
There are, among the Irish, men of as much worth and honour as any among the English: nay, to speak the truth, generosity of spirit is rather more common among them. I have known some examples there, too, of good husbands; and I believe these are not very plenty in England.1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC:
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Radishes are very plenty. Of cabbages a few heads of this year's crop have come to hand this week, and sold readily at quotations; […]1836, The American Gardener's Magazine and Register, volume 2, page 279: