Word of the Day

: August 29, 2010

quorum

noun KWOR-um

What It Means

1 : a select group

2 : the number (as a majority) of officers or members of a body that when duly assembled is legally competent to transact business

quorum in Context

The town’s charter states that a quorum of at least nine members must be present before any voting by the town council can take place.

Did You Know?

In Latin, "quorum" means "of whom," which is itself the genitive plural of "qui," meaning "who." At one time, Latin "quorum" was used in the wording of the commission issued to justices of the peace in England. In English, "quorum" initially referred to the number of justices of the peace who had to be present to constitute a legally sufficient bench. That sense is now rare, but it's not surprising that "quorum" has come to mean both "a select group" and "the minimum people required in order to conduct business."