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)
plural pluses
ˈplə-səz
also plusses
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
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.
Cite this Entry
“Plus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plus. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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