agenda

American  

[uh-jen-duh] / əˈdʒɛn də /

noun

agendum, agendas, agenda

1. a list, plan, outline, or the like, of things to be done, matters to be acted or voted upon, etc..

   The chairman says we have a lengthy agenda this afternoon.

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agenda British  

/ əˈdʒɛndə /

noun

1. Also called: agendum.  (functioning as singular) a schedule or list of items to be attended to

2. Also called: agendas.   agendums.  (functioning as plural) matters to be attended to, as at a meeting of a committee

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Usage

Agenda, “things to be done,” is the plural of the Latin gerund agendum and is used today in the sense “a plan or list of matters to be acted upon.” In that sense it is treated as a singular noun; its plural is usually agendas: The agenda is ready for distribution. The agendas of last year's meetings are printed in the official minutes. The singular agendum, meaning “an item on an agenda,” is rare.

Other Word Forms

• agendaless adjective

Etymology

Origin of agenda

First recorded in 1745–55; from Latin, plural of agendum “that which is to be done,” gerund of agere “to do, drive”; the plural originally carried a collective sense denoting the various items to be transacted

Explanation

An agenda is a list of things to do. If you're going to attend a meeting with a long agenda, you'll want to take your coffee mug along. The word agenda is the plural for of the Latin word agendum, which literally means "something to be done." The noun retains this meaning because an agenda is a plan — organized by time — of events or things to do. You might have a meeting, a lunch date, and a doctor's appointment on your agenda for the day. And when you run for office, you better have a political agenda — or a plan for what you want to get done if elected.

Example Sentences

“They have a very ambitious agenda on the building side of things,” Argitis said, “and they need to develop and execute on this human-resources strategy.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

There will be a plan on my website soon — an agenda for smart data center growth — and it’s going to involve making data centers pay their fair share of utility and infrastructure costs.

From Salon • Apr. 27, 2026

Brazil put the idea of a billionaire tax on the G20 agenda when it hosted the forum's annual leaders' summit in 2024.

From Barron's • Apr. 27, 2026

But his comments are a part of a broader, and more provocative agenda, said sources familiar with the bilateral relationship.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 26, 2026

The real agenda, if there is one, is to make schools a place where everyone can be who he or she is, without having to fear ridicule or attack.

From "The Misfits" by James Howe

Related Words

• calendar
• plan
• program
• schedule
• timetable