noun
plurality
pluh-RAL-uh-tee/plʊˈræləti/
The largest share of votes when it is less than a majority.
Four of the nine voting tokens give the first container a plurality.
Etymology
Originally the state of being more than one, plurality developed a voting sense: having more votes than any rival, without necessarily having more than half.
In context
jackson commands a plurality in the electoral college and in the popular vote but he doesn't have a majority
More examples
- His 45 percent beats two rivals and gives him a plurality.
- Under these rules, a plurality is not enough to avoid a runoff.
- The party wins pluralities in several districts but no outright majorities.
Forms
plurality · pluralities
Similar words
- relative majority
- An equivalent term emphasizing comparison with rivals rather than half.