BharatNotes Plethora
nounUsage in a UPSC answer
The proliferation of a plethora of overlapping welfare schemes, each with its own ministry and reporting machinery, has fragmented the developmental effort and underscored the case for rationalisation under a consolidated direct-benefit architecture.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word Family
plethoric (adj), plethora (n), plethorically (adv)
Root
Greek plēthōrē = fullness, from plēthein = to be full; via Late Latin plethora; orig. medical term (1540s)
Etymology
From Late Latin plethora, from Greek plēthōrē "fullness", from plēthein "to be full". Originally (1540s) a medical term for an excess of bodily fluid or blood.
Memory Hook
Think "PLE-THORA = PLENTY + MORE" — and remember the Greek plethein "to be full": a plethora is fullness pushed past the point of being healthy, i.e. too much of a good thing.
Seen in UPSC Question Papers
- Mains 2013 · GS2 · 10 marks — International Relations
Real UPSC previous-year questions whose text uses “Plethora” — proof this word earns its place on your list.
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