Agenda Is a Latin Plural That Went Singular
An agenda is a list of things to be done. It is a Latin plural, and English quietly made it a singular noun.
An agenda is a list of items to be dealt with. In Latin it is a plural: *agendum* is one thing to be done, *agenda* is several. English took the plural, treated it as a single object, and then built a new plural on top of it — *agendas*. Nobody says *agendum* any more, and nobody should feel bad about it.
- A list of items for a meeting. *First on the agenda.*
- Underlying aims. *A political agenda.*
- Hidden agenda — an unstated motive. *He has a hidden agenda.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | agenda | The agenda is set. |
| Plural | agendas | Competing agendas. |
| Latin singular | agendum | Rare in English. |
| Related | agent | A press agent. |
| Related | action | Action points. |
How it is used in a sentence
- Item four on the agenda.Meetings.
- They accused him of pushing an agenda.Motive.
- Set the agenda for the debate.Decide what gets discussed.
Latin plurals that became singular
- agenda — from *agendum*
- data — from *datum*, now often singular
- stamina — originally the plural of *stamen*
- opera — the plural of *opus*
- candelabra — the plural of *candelabrum*
From Latin *agenda*, things to be done, a gerundive of *agere*, to do. It entered English in the seventeenth century as a church term.
Is *agendas* correct?
Yes. Agenda has functioned as an English singular for centuries, and agendas is its normal plural.
What is a hidden agenda?
An unstated purpose behind someone's stated position, usually implying that the real motive is being concealed.