Word of the Day: PLENIPOTENTIARY

¹plen·i·po·ten·tia·ry

adjective \ˌple-nə-pə-ˈten(t)-sh(ə-)rē, -shē-ˌer-ē\

Definition of PLENIPOTENTIARY

1:  invested with full power

2:  of or relating to a plenipotentiary

Origin of PLENIPOTENTIARY

Medieval Latin plenipotentiarius, adjective & noun, from Late Latin plenipotent-, plenipotens

First Known Use: circa 1645

Other Government and Politics Terms

agent provocateur, agitprop, autarky, cabal, egalitarianism, federalism, hegemony, plenipotentiary, popular sovereignty, socialism

²plenipotentiary

noun

: a person (such as a diplomat) who has complete power to do business for a government

plural plenipotentiaries

Full Definition of PLENIPOTENTIARY

:  a person and especially a diplomatic agent invested with full power to transact business

First Known Use of PLENIPOTENTIARY

circa 1656

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plenipotentiary%5B2%5D?show=0&t=1404647941

role in diplomacy

• TITLE: diplomacy
  SECTION: India
  …policy (peace, war, nonalignment, alliances, shows of force, and double-dealing). To execute policies derived from these strategic geometries, ancient India fielded three categories of diplomats (plenipotentiaries, envoys entrusted with a single issue or mission, and royal messengers); a type of consular agent (similar to the Greek proxenos), who was…
• TITLE: diplomacy
  SECTION: Diplomacy of the Roman Catholic church
  …matters on their own. To meet this need, in the 12th century the concept of a procurator with plena potens (full powers) was revived from Roman civil law. This plenipotentiary could negotiate and conclude an agreement, but, unlike a nuncius, he could not represent his principal ceremonially. As a result, one emissary…

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/464632/plenipotentiary