pluperfect

(plo̵̅o̅pʉr′fikt, plo̵̅o̅′pʉr-)

adjective

  1. Gram. designating or of the past perfect tense in any of certain languages corresponding to the past perfect in English
  2. exceptionally perfect: sometimes used as an intensive

Origin: LL plusquamperfectus < L plus quam perfectum, lit., more than perfect

noun

  1. the past perfect tense
  2. a verb form in this tense

See pluperfect in American Heritage Dictionary 4

adjective
  1. Of or being a verb tense used to express action completed before a specified or implied past time.
  2. More than perfect; supremely accomplished; ideal: “He has won a reputation as [a] pluperfect bureaucrat” (New York Times).
noun
  1. The pluperfect tense, formed in English with the past participle of a verb and the auxiliary had, as had learned in the sentence He had learned to type by the end of the semester. Also called past perfect.
  2. A verb or form in the pluperfect tense.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English pluperfyth

Origin: , alteration of Latin plūs quam perfectum, more than perfect

Origin: : plūs, more; see pelə-1 in Indo-European roots

Origin: + quam, than

Origin: + perfectum

Origin: , neuter past participle of perficere, to complete; see perfect

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