The minimum number of members required to be present at a meeting to conduct official business and make valid decisions. Without a quorum, the group cannot take binding actions, vote on matters, or make legally enforceable decisions.
From Latin 'quorum' meaning 'of whom,' originally part of the phrase 'quorum vos...unum esse volumus' (of whom we wish you...to be one) in medieval English legal commissions. The term evolved from requiring specific qualified individuals to be present to simply requiring a minimum number of any qualified members.
Quorum rules prevent small groups from making major decisions when most members are absent—imagine if three people could decide the fate of a 100-member organization just because they showed up to a meeting! It's democracy's way of ensuring legitimacy through participation.
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