TERMS COMMONLY USED AT MEETINGS

1. Ab initio - from the beginning

2. Acclamation - loud expression of assent to a motion, so that no dissenting voices are heard
3. Ad hoc - 'for the purpose of' An ad hoc committee is one appointed for a particular purpose.
4. Ad infinitum - to infinity
5. Adjournment - the deferring of a meeting, or of the debate on a particular subject, until a later
date
6. Address the chair - where a member wishes to speak they must first address the chairperson
7. Addendum - an amendment which adds words to a motion
8. Advisory committee - offering advise or suggestion and making recommendation, but taking
no direct action
9. Agenda - 'things to be done' the items of business for consideration at a meeting
10. Amendment - an alteration to the terms of a motion before a meeting
11. Articles of association - the internal regulations of a limited company, governing the relations
of the shareholders
12. Ballot - the method of secret voting by placing the vote in a ballot box.
13. Bona fide - 'in good faith'
14. By-laws - regulations dealing with the internal affairs of an association
15. Casting vote - the vote frequently granted to the chairman, additional to any vote to which
he may be entitled as a member, to enable him to determine a question before a meeting when
the vote for and against the motion equal
16. Chairman - the person given authority to conduct a meeting
17. Chairman's agenda - an elaborated form of agenda of the basic agenda with space left on
the right hand side for the chairperson to make notes
18. Closure - the closing of debate on a specific question before a meeting, generally worded.
"That the question be now put"
19. Committee - one or more persons to whom a particular matter, or specific group of matters,
is referred for consideration and report
20. Consensus - agreement by general consent without formal voting being taken
21. Constitution - document describing the objects of an association or voluntary body and
setting out the rules which govern its activities and limit its powers
22. Convene - to call a meeting
23. Co-opt - to invite an individual to serve on a committee as a result of majority vote. A person
is usually co-opted because of some specialist knowledge or expertise they can provide
24. Defamation - the publication of anything that brings the person of character of another into
hatred, contempt or undue ridicule, or cause him to be shunned, or tends to injure him in his
occupation or social esteem without lawful justification or excuse
25. Dissolution - the termination of a meeting when the business for which it was convened has
been transacted.
26. Division - the physical separation of the members of a deliberative body into two groups,
respectively supporting and opposing the motion, in order that their votes may be counted.
27. Dropped motion - a motion which lapses for want of a seconder, or which, with the consent
of the meeting, is withdrawn by the mover
28. Ex-officio - a member invited to attend a meeting 'by virtue of his office
29. Formal motion- any motion which interrupts the debate on the question before a meeting
and which relates to a point of procedure.
30. In attendance - present on invitation to give expert help, advice or information but with no
voting rights.
31. In camera - 'in a vaulted chamber', that is in committee, not in a meeting open to the public
(in private)
32. In extenso - 'at full length', (that is, in full & without abridgement)
33. Inter alia - 'amongst other things'
34. Inter se - between themselves or ourselves'
35. Intra vires - 'within the powers' (within the legal power or authority of the organisation)
36. Ipso facto - 'by the fact itself'
37. Lie on the table- something- a motion, letter, report is said to "lie on the table when the
meeting decides that no action should be taken on it at present
38. Lobbying - the term given to the practice of seeking members' support before a meeting
39. Majority - the greater part of those voting at a meeting. Questions are normally decided by
a simple majority of votes, unless a larger proportion is prescribed by the Act or the articles
40. Majority vote - one where the greater number of members voting were either for or against
a motion. Articles standing orders will set out where a majority is necessary for a motion to be
carried or defeated
41. Mala fide - in bad faith
42. Memorandum of association - the basic document, or constitution, or a company, upon
which its existence depends. A memorandum of association governs a company's objects and
general relationship with the outside world
43. Minutes - a record in summary from of the proceeding at a meeting, constituting the official
history of the body concerned
44. Motion - a proposal formally submitted to a meeting for consideration and decision
45. Nem. con. - no one speaking in opposition at a meeting. It simply means no one contradicting.
That is, there are not votes against the motion, though some members cold have abstained
46. Nem. dis - no one dissenting at a meeting
47. Next business - a formal motion whereby the debate on a particular question before a
meeting may be abruptly terminated without a decision being reached
48. Opposer - one who speaks against a motion
49. Out of order - the chairman can rule a member 'out of order' where the member is not
keeping to the point under discussion or is speaking improperly
50. Point of order - a question raised at a meeting with the subject of calling attention to the
irregularity in the manner in which the proceedings are being conducted
51. Postponement - the deferment of a meeting, or the consideration of a particular matter until
a later date before the meeting is held. or the consideration of the particular matter is
commenced
52. Proposer - the member putting forward a motion for discussion at a meeting
53. Private meeting- a meeting to which the right of admission is not extended to the general
public. Most company meetings ate private meetings
54. Proxy - a person appointed to act for another at a meeting
55. Public meeting- a meeting to which the general public has access
56. Quid pro quo - something for something
57. Question - a motion which has been accepted by the chairman of a meeting, and is the
subject of consideration by the meeting
58. Quorum - the minimum number of persons whose presence is required at a meeting for it to
be duly constituted.
59. Resolution - a formal decision taken at a meeting
60. Rider - a clause added to a document after completion, or to a motion submitted to a meeting
before it is adopted. A rider is an addition to a resolution after it has been passed. It adds to a
resolution rather than altering it.
61. Right of reply - the proposer of a motion has a right of reply once the issue has been fully
discussed but before it is put to the vote.
62. Seconder - one who supports the proposer of a motion
63. Sine die - 'for an indefinite period'. A meeting adjourned sine die no date is fixed for the
holding of the adjourned
64. Spoiled paper - a ballot paper which has been irregularly completed and which, on that
account, cannot be counted in the ballot.
65. Standing orders- the rules compiled by an organisation in respect of the way in which
business must be held in order to comply with the law
66. Statutory meeting - a meeting (usually of the shareholders of a public company) which must
be held in order to comply with the law.
67. Status quo - the state of things as they existed at a given time (the present state of affairs)
68. Sub-committee- one or more person appointed by a committee to consider a specific matter,
or matter of a particular type, and to report back to the parent committee. It is a group of
members from the main or parent committee appointed to deal with a specific aspect of the
main committee's work to whom it reports and recommendations will be submitted.
69. Substantive motion- a motion before a meeting which has been modified by an amendment
which the meeting has adopted. The substantive motion has still to be adopted by the meeting
before it becomes a resolutions of the meeting
70. Tabled - the description applied to a document to be presented to a committee "on the table"
- not one which has been included with the agenda and supporting papers.
71. Teller - a person who counts the votes given at a meeting on a poll or ballot
72. Ultra vires - 'beyond the powers'. That is, outside the legal or authority of the organisation.
73. Unanimous - 'of one mind'. That is, all being in favour.
74. Verbatim - word for word.