pluperfect

[ ploo-pur-fikt ]

noun

, Grammar.

1. Also past perfect. a verb construction, in English made up of the past tense auxiliary verb had followed by the past participle of the main verb, used to express an action or state that was already complete before a particular point of reference in the past, such as He had cleaned the place up before I arrived and Yesterday she told me she had been in the hospital for a week.

adjective

1. past perfect. Grammar. designating a verb construction used to express an action or state that was already complete before a particular point of reference in the past.
2. more than perfect:

   He spoke the language with pluperfect precision.

pluperfect

/ pluːˈpɜːfɪkt /

adjective

1. See past perfect
   grammar another term for past perfect

Word History and Origins

Origin of pluperfect¹

First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin plū(s quam) perfectum “(more than) perfect,” translation of Greek hypersyntelikós; plus ( def ), perfect ( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of pluperfect¹

C16: from the Latin phrase plūs quam perfectum more than perfect

Example Sentences

Note that in forming the pluperfect subjunctive certain writers often use fuisset for esset.

From Project Gutenberg

The verbal forms in-ara and-iera were used then as now as the equivalent of the pluperfect or the preterit indicative.

From Project Gutenberg

The same applies to similar citations under Perfect and Pluperfect.

From Project Gutenberg

The perfect tense value is often represented by the present (and the pluperfect by the imperfect) after despus or hace (ago).

From Project Gutenberg

In the earliest Latin the pluperfect is not uncommonly used with the value of the aorist perfect.

From Project Gutenberg