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. 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

Gable is pluperfect and gives a brilliant performance.

From Los Angeles Times

I can accurately conjugate most any verb, including “to lie,” which gets pretty complex in the pluperfect.

From Washington Post

He seems to have as many friends as his pluperfect self-centeredness allows, and as he has earned in an entirely transactional life.

From Washington Post

The past-of-the-past is called the pluperfect, and it is formed with the auxiliary had, as in I had already eaten.

From Literature

Poutine seems like the pluperfect beer sponge — squeaky cheese curds and hot gravy spilled over a Jenga pile of crispy fries.

From Seattle Times