Word of the Day - 12/13/25
quorum
/'kwoʊrəm/(n.): a gathering of the minimal number of members of an organization to conduct business
A quorum was finally established after two members joined the meeting remotely.
Word Origin
The word 'quorum' originates from Latin, meaning literally "of whom". It is the genitive plural of the Latin pronoun 'qui' (who). The term comes from the initial word of a formulaic clause found in Latin commissions and legal documents, such as "Quorum unum vos esse volumus," which translates to "Of whom we wish you to be one." This clause was used to specify a minimum number of members whose presence was required for a body's proceedings to be considered valid.
Another English phrase with a similar Latin interrogative pronoun origin is 'quid pro quo', meaning "something for something". 'Quid' is the neuter singular of 'qui', the same Latin pronoun from which 'quorum' is derived.