confer
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
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to bestow upon as a gift, favor, honor, etc..
to confer a degree on a graduate.
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Obsolete. to compare.
verb
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(tr; foll by on or upon) to grant or bestow (an honour, gift, etc)
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(intr) to hold or take part in a conference or consult together
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(tr) an obsolete word for compare
Related Words
Other Word Forms
- conferment noun
- conferrable adjective
- conferrer noun
- nonconferrable adjective
- preconfer verb (used without object)
- reconfer verb
Etymology
Origin of confer
First recorded in 1400–50 for earlier sense “to summon”; 1520–30 for current senses; late Middle English conferen, from Latin conferre “to bring together, compare, consult with,” equivalent to con- “with, together, completely” ( con- ) + ferre “to carry, bear” ( bear 1 )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“The scientific evidence shows that one dose is all that’s needed to confer immunity to adolescents to provide long-term protection against HPV that causes cervical cancer,” Simon said.
From Salon
Alternative statutory paths remain available to the administration, while none confer the same breadth or immediacy as IEEPA.
From Barron's
Resource abundance doesn’t automatically confer economic sovereignty in the modern age.
From Barron's
Bain firmly she rejected accusations of corruption and conferring political advantage.
From BBC
While several recent studies have found that a single dose of the vaccine confers as much protection as two, there is no single-dose HPV vaccine licensed in the U.S. yet.
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
