status quo

American  

[kwoh] / kwoʊ /

noun

1. the existing state or condition.

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status quo British  

/ kwəʊ /

noun

1. the existing state of affairs

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status quo Cultural  

1. The existing order of things; present customs, practices, and power relations: “People with money are often content with the status quo.” From Latin, meaning “the state in which.”

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status quo Idioms  

1. The existing condition or state of affairs, as in We don't want to admit more singers to the chorus; we like the status quo. This term, Latin for “state in which,” has been used in English since the early 1800s.

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Etymology

Origin of status quo

First recorded in 1825–35, status quo is from Latin status quō literally, “state in which”

Example Sentences

They certainly do, and perhaps that’s enough to restore the prewar status quo.

From The Wall Street Journal

He said he had also reaffirmed "Israel's unwavering commitment to freedom of religion for all faiths and to upholding the status quo at the holy sites of Jerusalem".

From BBC

But more than six months after the announcement, the status quo remains undisturbed as the DNC’s Middle East Working Group proceeds at a snail’s pace.

From Salon

“The fact that they didn’t just is even more evidence that they intended to maintain the status quo.”

From Salon

He is contracted with Northern Ireland until 2028, and when asked about his future beyond the summer, he said he will "revert back to the status quo".

From BBC

Related Words

• state of affairs
• status