past perfect

American  

noun

Grammar.

1. pluperfect.

---

past perfect British  

adjective

1. denoting a tense of verbs used in relating past events where the action had already occurred at the time of the action of a main verb that is itself in a past tense. In English this is a compound tense formed with had plus the past participle

---

noun

1. 1. the past perfect tense

   2. a verb in this tense

Etymology

Origin of past perfect

First recorded in 1885–90

Compare meaning

How does past-perfect compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• present perfect vs. past perfect

Example Sentences

For the President, future indicative is past perfect.

From Time Magazine Archive

The past perfect tense gives way to the present imperative now -- because there's a dogfight among the four middle-aged men whose tough job it is to cozen the consumer.

From Time Magazine Archive

Soon we were flying past perfect rows of citrus trees, and that glorious scent was in the air.

From "Tangerine" by Edward Bloor

“I’ve only gone as far as the past perfect tense in my French book.”

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver

When narration in the past tense is interrupted for reference to a preceding occurrence, the past perfect tense is used.

From The Century Handbook of Writing by Greever, Garland