past perfect

noun

, Grammar.

1. pluperfect.

past perfect

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of past perfect¹

First recorded in 1885–90