Plenipotentiary

Today’s word is plenipotentiary which can be used as a noun or an adjective:

Noun:

1. A person, esp. a diplomatic agent, invested with full power or authority to transact business on behalf of another.

Adjective:

2. Invested with full power or authority, as a diplomatic agent

3. Conferring or bestowing full power, as a commission.

4. Absolute or full, as power

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She knew any hopes she may have harbored for a nap were harpooned as soon as he settled in the seat next to her. She knew his type, the passengers who felt their space was more important than any other of the other riders, and he reinforced this impression when he made an overwrought production of settling into the seat, stretching out, and making loud huffing noises to indicate his inconvenience. Passengers who acted like he did thought they had plenipotentiary rights and authority over the entire bus, she thought. These egotistical riders usually placed their bags on adjacent seats to mark their space as a nonverbal warning to other passengers that they didn’t want a seatmate, while they pretended to be in a deep slumber, clearly establishing that they did not want to be disturbed, nor asked to move their bag. But this morning the bus was crowded and he was forced to sit next to her and she knew her smaller stature made the seat beside her much more inviting than the other seats that were mated with larger riders. Although she abhorred confrontation, she knew that it was absolutely necessary that she take immediate action to establish her personal boundaries, or she was going to be in for one long, uncomfortable ride.

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