The two avoyers are elected by the plurality of suffrages of all the citizens

J. Adams, Works, IV. 332. 3. In U. S. politics , the number by which the votes cast for the candidate who receives the greatest number exceed the votes cast for the candidate who receives the next greatest number, when there are more than two candidates and no one candidate receives a majority of the votes. If A receives 5,000 votes, B 4,000, and C 3,000, no one has a majority, but A has a plurality of 1,000 over B. In most of the States a plurality elects a candidate; in others, as Connecticut and Rhode Island, if no candidate (as for governor) receives a popular majority, the election goes to the legislature. Compare majority . 4. Eccles .: ( a ) The holding of two or more benefices by the same person at the same time; pluralism. The most part of them were such as had preach'd and cri'd down, with great show of zeale, the avarice and plu ralities of Bishops and Prelats. Milton, Hist. Eng., iii. ( b ) One of two or more livings held by the same incumbent. See living , 4 ( α ). Who engro many pluralities under a non-resident and IMG:content-0476.png:[blocks in formation] ( plur- ), more, + NL. foliolum , dim. of folium , leaf, + -atel .] In bot . , having several leaflets: said of a compound leaf. pluriguttulate (plö-ri-gut'ū-lāt), a . [L. plus ( plur- ), more, + guttula , dim. of gutta , drop: see guttulate .] In bot . , containing many fine drops or drop-like particles, as the sporules of certain fungi. pluriliteral (plö-ri-lit'e-ral), a . and n . [ plus ( plur- ), more, + litter a , liter a , a letter: see literal .] I. a . Containing several letters.