plus

1 of 4

adjective

ˈpləs 

1

: algebraically positive

2

: having, receiving, or being in addition to what is anticipated

3

a

: falling high in a specified range

a grade of C plus

b

: greater than that specified

c

: possessing a specified quality to a high degree

4

: electrically positive

5

: relating to or being a particular one of the two mating types that are required for successful fertilization in sexual reproduction in some lower plantlike organisms (such as a fungus)

plus

2 of 4

noun

plural pluses ˈplə-səz  also plusses

1

: plus sign

2

: an added quantity

3

: a positive factor or quality

4

: surplus

plus

3 of 4

preposition

1

: increased by : with the addition of

four plus five

principal plus interest

2

: besides

—used chiefly in speech and casual writing

plus all this, as a sedative it has no equal

—Groucho Marx

plus

4 of 4

conjunction

1

: and

eats alone, a hot beef sandwich plus a BLT plus apple pie

—Garrison Keillor

2

: in addition to which

it's also pretty on my open shelves, plus it smells good

—Nikki Giovanni

Using Plus as a Conjunction: Usage Guide

The preposition plus has long been used with a meaning equivalent to and (as in "two plus two"); people have come to use plus as a conjunction much like and. Sense 2 is considered to be an adverb by some. It is used chiefly in speech and in informal writing.

Synonyms

Noun

• accretion
• accrual
• addendum
• addition
• augmentation
• boost
• expansion
• gain
• increase
• increment
• more
• proliferation
• raise
• rise
• step-up
• supplement
• uptick

Examples of plus in a Sentence

Noun

The apartment isn't perfect, but the fact that it has new appliances is a plus.

The job doesn't pay well, but the convenient hours are a definite plus.

Preposition

The hotel has two restaurants, plus a bar and a swimming pool.

Conjunction

He works a full-time job during the day, plus he goes to school at night.

I enjoy gardening, plus it's good exercise.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Folks with Philips Hue lights can select lights or groups of lights, tap the plus icon at the top right next to My Scenes and choose Hue scene gallery to find a large Halloween section packed with spooky lighting effects. —Simon Hill, WIRED, 30 Oct. 2024

The company’s plant-friendly practices are a plus too! —Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 2 Oct. 2024

Noun

Another plus: while canned pumpkin is often in short supply during the fall and winter months (and very hard to find the rest of the year), sweet potatoes are abundant in the South. —Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 20 Oct. 2024

Multiple driving modes are a plus, including Sport or Sport+. —James Raia, The Mercury News, 6 Oct. 2024

Preposition

More international markets and popular for soccer plus niche sports. —Jay Ginsbach, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024

That spinoff would eventually become Spirit AeroSystems, which Boeing is now buying back for about $4.7 billion plus debt. —Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 18 July 2024

Conjunction

Plus, kids receive a free 4-inch-by-6-inch photo download of themselves with their catch. —Laura Daily and Bryan K. Chavez, The Know, 9 June 2017

A total of 29 states plus the nation’s capital have legal medical cannabis. —Luis Gómez Romero, The Cannabist, 18 May 2017

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin, adverb, more, from neuter of plur-, plus, adjective; akin to Greek pleion more, Latin plenus full — more at full

First Known Use

Adjective

1756, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

1579, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Preposition

1537, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Conjunction

circa 1950, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing plus

• cost-plus
• eleven-plus
• ne plus ultra
• on the plus side
• plus fours
• plus/minus sign
• plus-one
• plus or minus
• plus sign
• plus-size
• plus-sized

Kids Definition

plus

1 of 3 adjective

ˈpləs 

1

: mathematically positive

a plus quantity

2

: having, receiving, or being in addition to what is expected

now she is plus a kitten

3

: falling high in a certain range

a grade of C plus

4

: electrically positive

plus

2 of 3 noun

plural pluses ˈpləs-əz  also plusses

1

: an added quantity

2

: something that is an advantage

that the machine operated quietly was a plus

plus

3 of 3 preposition

: increased by : with the addition of

4 plus 5 is 9

Medical Definition

plus

adjective

ˈpləs 

: relating to or being a particular one of the two mating types that are required for successful fertilization in sexual reproduction in some lower plants (as a fungus) compare minus