Meaning
The existing state of affairs: how things currently stand, especially in politics, institutions, or relationships. It nearly always appears with 'the' and a verb such as maintain, defend, preserve, or challenge, which reveals the term's tilt toward describing an arrangement under pressure. It is neutral in itself, though 'defending the status quo' often carries a conservative implication and 'challenging the status quo' a reformist one. Neutral to slightly formal; pervasive in news, political, and business commentary. Regional use: General English (borrowed from Latin).
Origin
Short for Latin status quo, 'the state in which,' a clipped survivor of longer diplomatic formulas such as in statu quo res erant ante bellum, 'the state in which things were before the war,' which treaties used to describe restoring pre-war conditions. English adopted the short form in the early nineteenth century: Dictionary.com records first use in 1825-35 and Etymonline dates the sense 'unaltered condition' to 1833. Longer relatives such as status quo ante, literally 'the state before,' had appeared in English political writing somewhat earlier. Unlike many Latin borrowings, this one was never translated, because legal and diplomatic English preferred the fixed Latin formula.
Research Sources
References used to check this entry’s meaning, history, or documented forms.
Variants
- status quo ante
- status quo ante bellum
- the status quo
Usage Examples
- The new director promised reform but mostly defended the status quo.
- Any attempt to change the rota is treated as an attack on the status quo.
- After the merger collapsed, the board voted to restore the status quo ante for junior staff.