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• round table
  round table

  noun

  a number of persons gathered together for conference, discussion of some subject, etc., and often seated at a round table.
• round-table
  round-table

  adjective

  noting or pertaining to a conference, discussion, or deliberation in which each participant has equal status, equal time to present views, etc..
• Round Table
  Round Table

  noun

  (in Arthurian legend) the table of King Arthur, shaped so that his knights could sit around it without any having precedence

round table

¹ American  

Also roundtable

noun

• round tables
  plural

1. a number of persons gathered together for conference, discussion of some subject, etc., and often seated at a round table.

2. the discussion, topic of discussion, or the conference itself.

3. Arthurian Legend. Round Table,

   1. the table, made round to avoid quarrels as to precedence, about which King Arthur and his knights sat.

   2. King Arthur and his knights.

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round-table ² American  

[raund-tay-buhl] / ˈraʊndˌteɪ bəl /

adjective

1. noting or pertaining to a conference, discussion, or deliberation in which each participant has equal status, equal time to present views, etc..

   round-table discussions.

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Round Table ¹ British  

noun

1. (in Arthurian legend) the table of King Arthur, shaped so that his knights could sit around it without any having precedence

2. Arthur and his knights collectively

3. one of an organization of clubs of young business and professional men who meet in order to further social and business activities and charitable work

4. (in New Zealand) an organization of businessmen supporting policies of the New Right

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round table ² British  

noun

1. 1. a meeting of parties or people on equal terms for discussion

   2. ( as modifier )

      a round-table conference

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• round tables
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of round table¹

Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300

Origin of round-table²

First recorded in 1820–30

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

round table round-table Round Table

We sat at a round table about a third of the way back in a room with roughly 300 others.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026

I joined Stevens, the shop owner, and one other national reporter at a round table and we interviewed the congresswoman for about 20 minutes.

From Slate ● Jul. 30, 2026

But unfortunately, by the time Rausch steps up to defend him, the innocent comic is beyond any chance of clemency at the banishment round table.

From Salon ● Jun. 20, 2026

Adjacent to the cuisine center is a breakfast nook with a round table.

From MarketWatch ● Feb. 18, 2026

Around the small round table, every one of my sisters stopped eating, stared, and then smiled at me.

From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall

Evidence was gathered from a survey of nearly 2,000 sergeants and inspectors, expert round-table discussions and more than 400 responses to an open call for evidence.

From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026

At his only public event on Friday — a nearly two-hour round-table with national leaders and sporting officials about college athletics — he ridiculed members of the media who asked about Iran and Noem.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 7, 2026

And on “Brand New City,” she takes in the scene surrounding her, noting that “‘You Can’t Hurry Love’ plays on the stereo,” while “We quote all our friends / Like they’re round-table poets.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2025

The Northern Ireland Policing Board has backed his call for round-table talks on the issue with Benn.

From BBC ● Oct. 19, 2025

An image appeared, the first Marvellers sitting at a round-table covered with food.

From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton

No sword, no Round Table, just world-class shot-making, a lion’s heart and a Centre Court crowd thrilled to rally behind him.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026

In Poland, Solidarity and Lech Wałęsa walked into the Round Table talks as the uncontested voice of the nation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 7, 2025

He co-chaired the India-UK Round Table from 2000-2005 and was awarded the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India in 1983.

From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2025

“The Bright Sword” distinguishes itself from more straightforward Arthurian legends by focusing on the characters on the far end of the Round Table, far from the star power of Arthur and Merlin.

From Seattle Times ● May 14, 2024

Lancelot, of course, was not at that time recognized as the chief knight of the Round Table, or he would have been taken in any case.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White

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