plethora

Definitions

From Greek plēthōra 'fullness, overfullness,' from the same PIE 'fill' root as Latin plēre. In old medicine, a plethora meant an excess of blood or bodily fluid — literally too full. The medical sense faded, leaving the figurative one: an over-abundance, too much of something.

Common Collocations

• 1.a plethora of options大量的选择
• 2.a plethora of choices众多的选项
• 3.a plethora of information海量的信息

Example Sentences

• 1.

  The website offers a plethora of options to choose from.

• 2.

  There is a plethora of evidence supporting the theory.

• 3.

  We faced a plethora of problems on the first day.

Easily Confused

plethora vs plenty — both mean 'a lot,' but plenty is neutral or positive (plenty of time = enough and more); plethora leans negative, hinting at too much to handle (a plethora of forms to fill in). If it's a burden, use plethora.