Adjourning

Adjourning is the formal act of ending a meeting, session, or assembled group’s activities. It marks that the business planned for that gathering is complete and participants may disperse. Adjourning can also indicate a temporary pause (a recess) or the final dissolution of the group, depending on context and rules governing the proceedings.

Etymology and usage notes: The term derives from the verb adjourn, from Old French ajourner, meaning to put off or suspend to another time. In contemporary usage, adjourning refers to the process of closing a meeting or project team, with the sense that the current cycle has concluded. In some contexts, adjournment may be used as a noun (the adjournment of the meeting) or as the ongoing action of adjourning (adjourning the meeting).

Context and practice: In formal meetings and parliamentary procedure, the presiding officer declares that the meeting is adjourned when all business is concluded. An adjournment may be for a specific date or sine die (without a set date to resume), in which case the session ends entirely. A recess is a temporary break, after which the meeting is expected to resume.

In organizational contexts, adjourning is also recognized as a phase in temporary groups or project teams. It encompasses formal dissolution, final reporting, and reflection on outcomes. This phase may include documentation of lessons learned, transfer of ongoing responsibilities, and emotional closure for participants.

Significance: Adjourning signals completion, facilitates orderly transition, and preserves organizational memory through minutes and records. It helps clarify next steps, responsibilities, and the status of deliverables, contributing to accountability and learning.