plenum

n., pl., ple·nums, or ple·na (plē'nə, plĕn'ə).

1. An assembly or meeting with all members present.
2. A condition, space, or enclosure in which air or other gas is at a pressure greater than that of the outside atmosphere.
3. The condition of being full; fullness.
4. A space completely filled with matter.

[Latin plēnum (spatium), full (space), neuter of plēnus.]

In a building, the space between the real ceiling and the dropped ceiling, which is often used as an air duct for heating and air conditioning. It is also filled with electrical, telephone and network wires. See plenum cable.

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1. In suspended ceiling construction, the space between the suspended ceiling and the main structure above.
2. A plenum chamber.

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The conception of space as entirely filled with matter.

A plenum, or plenary session, is a meeting of any organization, group, association, etc., which all members are expected to attend. During the Soviet period, the term plenum referred specifically to a meeting of all members of a Communist Party committee at a national, regional, or local level. According to the Rules of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, the Central Committee was required to hold a plenum at least once every six months, attended by both full and candidate members. At the first plenum after a Party Congress, the Central Committee elected the Politburo, Secretariat, and General Secretary. Other plenums usually coincided with important party or state events, such as a meeting of the Supreme Soviet or a significant international incident. During the three- to five-day session, members heard reports on party matters and approved prepared resolutions. Though originally intended by Vladimir Lenin to serve as the party's supreme decision-making body between Party Congresses - proof of the party's collective leadership - the Central Committee plenum became a more ceremonial than deliberative body by the mid-twentieth century. The plenum's main function was to endorse Politburo decisions. Infrequently, the Central Committee plenum was called on to resolve Politburo conflict; for example, a 1964 plenum removed Nikita Khrushchev from power. Proceedings remained secret, but a formal statement was issued at the end of a plenum. All decisions approved at the plenum became formal party policy. Party plenums at lower levels (e.g., regional or local) convened more often than the Central Committee, endorsing party directives and deciding how best to implement them.

Bibliography

Hill, Ronald J., and Frank, Peter. (1986). The Soviet Communist Party, 3rd ed. London: George Allen & Unwin.

Smith, Gordon B. (1992). Soviet Politics: Struggling With Change, 2nd ed. New York: St. Martin's Press.

—JULIE K. DEGRAFFENRIED

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Dansk (Danish)
n. - fuldt rum, luft, der befinder sig under overtryk, plenarmøde

Nederlands (Dutch)
voltallige vergadering

Français (French)
n. - plénum

Deutsch (German)
n. - Vollversammlung, (phys.) vollkommen ausgefüllter Raum

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - ολομέλεια

Italiano (Italian)
pieno, assemblea plenaria

Português (Portuguese)
n. - sessão (f) plenária, espaço (m) cheio de matéria

Русский (Russian)
пленум

Español (Spanish)
n. - pleno, asamblea plenaria, espacio lleno

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - plenum, plenarförsamling, fyllt rum, luft under övertryck

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
充实, 全体大会, 充满, 全体人员

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 充實, 全體大會, 充滿, 全體人員

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 충만, 총회

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 物質が充満した空間, プレナム, 総会, 充実, 充満
adj. - 完全利用の

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) امتلاء, حيز ممتليء بالماء‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮מליאה (של פרלמנט)‬

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plenum	utp plenum
Plenum Cable	plenum door