agenda English · revision 6126

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1657|origins=la agere}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /əˈdʒen.də/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|agenda|t=things to be done]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)^(Etymonline) the neuter plural of [[m|la|agendum]], the gerundive of [[m|la|agere|t=to drive, lead, do]] (see [[agent]]),^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) from PIE [[ine-pro|*h₂eǵ-|t=to drive]].^(Etymonline) MWU traces the meeting sense through French and Medieval Latin agenda, an order of worship or list of matters to be dealt with.^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Things to be done: 1657 in Barnhart, the 1650s in Etymonline, at first in theology, matters of practice as opposed to [[credenda]], matters of faith.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) NODE and the SOED date the plural use to the early 17th century.^(NODE 1998)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The modern sense, the items of business to be dealt with at a meeting, is attested by 1882,^(Etymonline) and Hoad dates it to the 19th century.^(Hoad 1986) The OED records agenda treated as a singular, a list of such items, from 1907,^(OED 1989) and the agenda paper of a meeting from 1887.^(OED 1989) Fowler noted that a singular for one item was by then agendum, the older singular agend being obsolete.^(Etymonline) A set of underlying aims, as a ''hidden agenda'' or a political ''agenda'', is a later extension.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1657 – things to be done, in theology.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1882 – items of business at a meeting.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1887 – agenda paper.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1907 – treated as a singular noun.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A list or programme of things to be done or discussed, especially at a [[meeting]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A set of underlying aims or intentions: ''a hidden agenda''.^(Collins 2023)^(AHD)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[agendaless]]

+ * [[hidden agenda]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[agent]]

+ * [[act]]

+ * [[agile]]

+ * [[credenda]]

+ * [[addendum]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The AHD notes that although Latin agenda was the plural of agendum, in modern English agenda is a singular noun for the whole list, a single item is expressed by ''item on the agenda'', and the plural is agendas.^(AHD) Collins records both agenda as a singular, also called agendum, and agendas or agendums as plurals.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}