quorum

pronunciation

How to pronounce quorum in British English: UK [ˈkwɔ:rəm] word uk audio image

How to pronounce quorum in American English: US [ˈkwɔrəm, ˈkwor-] word us audio image

Noun:

a gathering of the minimal number of members of an organization to conduct business

Word Origin

quorum: quorum: [15] Quorum began life as the genitive plural of the Latin pronoun quī ‘who’. This appeared in former times in the Latin text of commissions issued to persons who because of some special expertise were required to act as justices of the peace in a particular case (if two JPs were required, for instance, the wording would be quorum vos … duos esse volumnus ‘of whom we wish that you … be two’). In due course the word came to be used as a noun, denoting the ‘number of justices who must be present in order to try the case’, and in the 17th century this was generalized to ‘minimum number of members necessary for a valid meeting’.

quorum (n.): early 15c., in reference to certain eminent justices of the peace, from Latin quorum "of whom," genitive plural (masc. and neuter; fem. quarum) of qui "who" (see who). The traditional wording of the commission appointing justices of the peace translates as, "We have also assigned you, and every two or more of you (of whom [quoram vos] any one of you the aforesaid A, B, C, D, etc. we will shall be one) our justices to inquire the truth more fully." The justices so-named usually were called the justices of the quorum. Meaning "fixed number of members whose presence is necessary to transact business" is first recorded 1610s.

3. The legislature was unable to form a quorum to debate the issue after democratic state senators absconded to illinois .

4. The specific case overturned a decision by the nlrb , which would not have had a quorum without the recess appointments .

5. Fourteen democratic senators have left the state , leaving it one lawmaker short of a quorum required to bring the bill to a vote .