plus

1 of 4

adjective

Synonyms of plusnext
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 How to pronounce plus (audio) also plusses
1
2
: an added quantity
3
: a positive factor or quality
The dishwasher's sanitize mode is a plus.
4

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.

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Based on college tape and combine performances, Price projects as a plus-NFL starter with a higher ceiling than Harvey. Troy Renck, Denver Post, 29 Mar. 2026 On one hand, while neither is considered anything close to a plus defender, the balance of the starting lineup does present that, when counting Bam Adebayo, Andrew Wiggins and Davion Mitchell. Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2026
Noun
Friday, Padres hitters seldom solved Red Sox starter Sonny Gray, who averaged 92-plus with his sinkers and four-seamers but began 17 of 22 at-bats with a strike. Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026 Gas is $4-plus and the cost of groceries keeps rising. Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2026
Preposition
Additionally, the home office is built into the wooden countertop and has some storage plus basic seating. New Atlas, 31 Dec. 2025 During that time, Frasers repurchased the rights to use Matches’s intellectual property for £20 million plus VAT. Lucy Maguire, Vogue, 17 Dec. 2025
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 See All Example Sentences for plus

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of plus was in 1537

Cite this Entry

“Plus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plus. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

plus

1 of 3 adjective
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 How to pronounce plus (audio) 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
: 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

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