Quorum
noun
- The smallest number of members of a group that must be present to conduct a meeting, constitute a vote, or do any other official business
Usage
The term quorum is used to describe the minimum number of people needed to start or complete an official action. Although this number is often a simple majority, the specifics can vary between different organizations and situations. Quorums are often required in certain formal or ceremonial settings, such as in the meeting of a club following Roberts' Rules. In fact, one of the most well-known uses of the term (at least in America) is in the business of the United States Congress. According the U.S. Constitution, either house must have a quorum of at least a majority of congressmen present to proceed. Interestingly, the Constitution further stipulates that, in any congressional session, a quorum is assumed to be present unless a quorum call (similar to a roll call) shows that it is not. Since congressmen hardly ever request a quorum call, sessions of Congress often proceed even if a majority is not present; convenient!
Quorum might also be used in less formal situations, especially in a humorous manner. For example, even if there are only two of you, you might decide to play a round of Scrabble anyway because, technically, you have a quorum to do so. Obviously, there are many real-world situations in which a certain number of people must be present to proceed, however, quorum is mostly used when the presence of that minimum number becomes an issue or focus.
In Computer Science, a quorum is a minimum number of "votes" a transaction needs to have in order to "commit" its result. As an example, a banking system may comprise of three systems which are geographically distributed. Transactions in that system may need a quorum of two, i.e. require at least two of those systems to agree, in order to be considered valid. This concept allows computer scientists to build systems which are robust in the face of disasters.
Example: "Well," said Hugo, "each team has nine players. That's a quorum, so let's play ball!"
Example: With only three members present, we did not meet the quorum required by the bylaws of the Jazz Ensemble and so had to disband our practice session.
Origin
The first usage of quorum dates back to 15th century Latin, in which the word translates as "of whom." It first appeared in the official wording of a commission appointing justices of the peace which stipulated that specific justices be present. Quorum would eventually be adopted in Middle English during the early 17th century to refer to a specific number of people needed to conduct business.
In Literature
From Victor Hugo's The Man Who Laughs:
A few passers-by had collected about the inn door, and the justice of the quorum was there at the head of a squad of police.
Here, quorum refers to the group of men who must be present to conduct legal proceedings.
Mnemonic
- If you've got the minimum, that's usually a quorum.
Tags
Government, Congress, Minimum
Bring out the linguist in you! What is your own interpretation of quorum. Did you use quorum in a game? Provide an example sentence or a literary quote.