QUORUM is the minimum number of members required to be present for a group to conduct official business. Essential in parliamentary procedure and corporate governance. In Scrabble, QUORUM scores 17 base points with its valuable Q tile.
Yes. QUORUM is in the Scrabble-style word list used by our tools and scores 17 points in Scrabble, 20 in Words With Friends and 19 in Wordfeud (base tile values, no board multipliers). Always check the dictionary your game uses (NWL, Collins or the WWF list) before playing.
| Letter | Q | U | O | R | U | M | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scrabble | 10 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 17 |
| Words With Friends | 10 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 20 |
| Wordfeud | 10 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 19 |
QUORUM stands as a cornerstone of democratic decision-making, representing the minimum number of members who must be present for a deliberative body to legally conduct business. Without a quorum, no official actions can be taken, votes counted, or decisions ratified—a safeguard ensuring that a small minority cannot make binding decisions for an entire organization.
The concept emerged from the need to balance efficiency with representation. Requiring every member's presence would paralyze most organizations, while allowing too few to decide invites abuse. Different bodies set different quorum requirements: the U.S. Senate requires 51 senators, the House needs 218 representatives, while many corporate boards operate with a simple majority. Some organizations use percentages (often 50% plus one), while others set fixed numbers.
In practice, establishing quorum becomes the first order of business at any formal meeting. The chair typically announces, "A quorum is present," signaling that proceedings may begin. If members leave and quorum is lost, business must halt—leading to the parliamentary tactic of "disappearing quorums," where minority parties flee to prevent votes they oppose. This occurred famously when Texas Democrats fled to Oklahoma in 2003 to block redistricting.
"Quorum" comes directly from Latin, where it literally means "of whom." This unusual etymology stems from its use in medieval legal commissions, making it one of the few English words that preserves an inflected Latin genitive plural form.
Anagrams: no other word uses exactly the letters of QUORUM.
Hooks: no front hooks; back QUORUMS.
Words inside QUORUM: 9 shorter words can be made from these letters – highest scoring: MORROMRUMMOMUOMUMOUROR. See all words from QUORUM.