pluperfect

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UK/ˌpluːˈpɜː.fɪkt/US/ˌpluˈpɝ.fɪkt/

adjective

More than perfect, utterly perfect, ideal.

Similar
multiperfectplusquamperfectpreterpluperfectperfectpast perfectpast perfect tensepluperfect tense
OriginLatin plusquamperfectum →
RareScrabble 19
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Meanings

adjectivepluperfect (comparative more pluperfect, superlative most pluperfect)

comparative more pluperfect · superlative most pluperfect · alternative abbreviation plpf.

  1. More than perfect, utterly perfect, ideal.
  2. grammarPertaining to action completed before another action or event in the past, past perfect.
  3. graph theoryBeing or relating to a certain type of graph that complies with a theorem ("pluperfect graph theorem") discovered by D. R. Fulkerson in 1970, satisfying even more constraints than a perfect graph.
  4. mathematicsSynonym of multiperfect.

    Synonyms: multiperfect

  5. informalUsed as an intensifier in various interjections.

    What in the pluperfect hell is going on here?!

    1 more example

    The drought has raised pluperfect heck with fishing more ways than one.

    1952, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, Wildlife in North Carolina - Volumes 16-19
nounpluperfect (plural pluperfects)

plural pluperfects · alternative abbreviation plpf.

  1. The pluperfect tense, the past perfect.
  2. A verb in this tense.

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveSynonym of multiperfect.

Similar
multiperfect
Similar
plusquamperfectpreterpluperfect

More synonyms by meaning

adjectivemore than perfect

Similar
perfect

nouna perfective tense used to express action completed in the past

Similar
past perfectpast perfect tensepluperfect tense
Broader
perfectiveperfective tenseperfect
Also see
extremeferociousincessiveintensemaximalmaximummultiperfectpassingpast perfectpluperfect tenserabidragingultimateutmostuttermost

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latinplusquamperfectum“more than perfect”
  2. Englishpluperfect

Shortening of plusquamperfect, from Latin plusquamperfectum (“more than perfect”), from plus (“more”) + quam (“than”) + perfectum, neuter singular of perfectus (“achieved; finished; perfected”).

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek ὑπερσυντέλικος
  • ὑπερσυντέλικος (hupersuntélikos)verb in this tense
Finnish pluskvamperfekti
  • pluskvamperfektiverb in this tense
French plus-que-parfait
  • plus-que-parfaitverb in this tense
German Plusquamperfekt
  • Plusquamperfektverb in this tense
Greek υπερσυντέλικος
  • υπερσυντέλικος (ypersyntélikos)verb in this tense
Italian piuccheperfetto
  • piuccheperfettoverb in this tense
Korean 과거완료
  • 과거완료 (gwageowallyo)verb in this tense
Polish zaprzeszły, czas zaprzeszły
  • zaprzeszłygrammar
  • czas zaprzeszłypluperfect tense
  • forma zaprzeszła czasownikaverb in this tense
Portuguese pretérito mais-que-perfeito
  • pretérito mais-que-perfeitoverb in this tense
Russian плюсквамперфе́кт
  • плюсквамперфе́кт (pljuskvamperfékt)verb in this tense
Spanish pluscuamperfecto
  • pluscuamperfectoverb in this tense
Swedish pluskvamperfekt
  • pluskvamperfektverb in this tense
Cite this entry
APA

pluperfect. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pluperfect

MLA

“pluperfect.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pluperfect. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “pluperfect,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pluperfect.

Source: pluperfect on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.