Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adjective Invested with or conferring full powers.
- noun A diplomatic agent, such as an ambassador, fully authorized to represent his or her government.
from The Century Dictionary.
- Invested with, having, or bestowing full power: as, plenipotentiary authority; ministers plenipotentiary.
- noun (-riz.). A person invested with full power to transact any business; specifically, an ambassador or envoy to a foreign court, furnished with full powers to negotiate a treaty or to transact other business.
- noun Synonyms See
ambassador , 1.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun A person invested with full power to transact any business; especially, an ambassador or envoy to a foreign court, with full power to negotiate a treaty, or to transact other business.
- adjective Containing or conferring full power; invested with full power
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun A person invested with
full power , especially as thediplomatic agent of a sovereign state, (originally) charged with handling a certain matter - adjective
Invested with full power. - adjective Of or relating to a plenipotentiary agent
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun a diplomat who is fully authorized to represent his or her government
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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The word plenipotentiary is not the right word to describe Dawkins comment that extraterrestrials are a better explanation of the universe than God.
On Thursday, the Legg report will be published along with... 2008
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It certainly does mean minister, but only a Minister of State, which a minister plenipotentiary is not.
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Not that it would upset Alex-my husband, that is, the plenipotentiary-to be hailed as the rightful King when he returns.
Hokas Pokas Anderson, Poul 2000
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Probably the biggest single change was the introduction of the telegraph in the middle of the 19th century, which meant that ambassadors were no longer truly "plenipotentiary", as they are still formally described, since they were within range of instructions and no longer had the necessity or the authority to stand in place of their sovereigns.
The job of an ambassador Oliver Miles 2010
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From the foregoing correspondence it will be seen that one of Booker Washington's many rôles was to act as a kind of plenipotentiary and interpreter between his people and the dominant race.
Booker T. Washington Builder of A Civilization Emmett Jay 1916
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Washington's many rôles was to act as a kind of plenipotentiary and interpreter between his people and the dominant race.
Booker T. Washington Builder of a Civilization Lyman Beecher Stowe 1915
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They then appointed Alexander as general plenipotentiary in command of the renewed Panhellenic expedition against Persia.
Alexander the Great Philip Freeman 2011
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They then appointed Alexander as general plenipotentiary in command of the renewed Panhellenic expedition against Persia.
Alexander the Great Philip Freeman 2011
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In witness whereof we the undersigned, their ministers plenipotentiary, have in their name and in virtue of our full powers, signed with our hands the present definitive treaty and caused the seals of our arms to be affixed thereto.
Your History Moment: The Treaty of Paris « Third Point of Singularity 2009
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They then appointed Alexander as general plenipotentiary in command of the renewed Panhellenic expedition against Persia.
Alexander the Great Philip Freeman 2011
steerpike commented on the word plenipotentiary
"The unfolding of something abstract runs alongside an idea of music as plenipotentiary for emotion" - from the sleeve notes to the album Towards The Blessed Islands by cellist Oliver Coates.
December 27, 2013
steerpike commented on the word plenipotentiary
Lines from 'Pigeons' by Bill Callahan:
"when I see people about to marry
I become something of a plenipotentiary
I just think it's good as you probably can tell."
August 2, 2020