conference

[ kon-fer-uhns, -fruhns ]

/ ˈkɒn fər əns, -frəns /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR conference ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a meeting for consultation or discussion: a conference between a student and his adviser.

the act of conferring or consulting together; consultation, especially on an important or serious matter.

Government. a meeting, as of various committees, to settle disagreements between the two branches of the legislature.

an association of athletic teams; league: an intercollegiate conference.

Ecclesiastical.

an official assembly of clergy or of clergy and laity, customary in many Christian denominations.
a group of churches whose representatives regularly meet in such an assembly.

verb (used without object), con·fer·enced, con·fer·enc·ing.

to hold or participate in a conference or series of conferences.

Nearby words

confederation, confederation, articles of, confederative, confer, conferee, conference, conference call, conference on security and cooperation in europe, conference pear, conferencing, conferential

Origin of conference

From the Medieval Latin word conferentia, dating back to 1530–40. See confer, -ence

SYNONYMS FOR conference

1 parley, colloquium.

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Related formscon·fer·en·tial

[kon-fuh-ren-shuhl] /ˌkɒn fəˈrɛn ʃəl/, adjectivepre·con·fer·ence, nounsub·con·fer·ence, nounsub·con·fer·en·tial, adjective

Synonym study

1. See convention.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for conference

After some animated debate at the conference, Lelaie declared, with some frustration, “If you push on the stick, you will fly.”
Flight 8501 Poses Question: Are Modern Jets Too Automated to Fly?|Clive Irving|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Boehner was unanimously selected by the conference as its official nominee for speaker in the coming Congress.
The YOLO Caucus' New Cry for Attention|Ben Jacobs|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Just this year we sponsored the Reaching Out MBA Conference and in that conference I introduced my fiancé to everybody.
How A Company’s Support of Gay Employees Helped One of Them To Come Out||December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Certainly some of those attending the conference had experience walking that line in the past.
Pro-Palestinian Group Lectured On Skirting Terror Laws|Shane Harris|December 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST

At a conference in London the following week, a senior retired U.S. Air Force commander pooh-poohed counterstealth efforts.
How China Will Track—and Kill—America’s Newest Stealth Jets|Bill Sweetman|December 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The House accordingly took up the message, and also agreed to appoint a committee of conference.
Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856, Vol. II (of 16)|Thomas Hart Benton
The selection of Birmingham as the scene of the Conference of 1883 was a circumstance especially favourable to him.
Lord Randolph Churchill|Winston Spencer Churchill
They had to have a conference, a board conference, because of Lee's curriculum from school.
Warren Commission (1 of 26): Hearings Vol. I (of 15)|The President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy
The conference Avas made in a principal place of the town, in presence of a great multitude.
The Works of John Dryden, Volume XVI. (of 18)|John Dryden
He may tell you why this conference is being held and what the result will be.
The Vanished Messenger|E. Phillips Oppenheim

British Dictionary definitions for conference

conference

/ (ˈkɒnfərəns, -frəns) /

noun

a meeting for consultation, exchange of information, or discussion, esp one with a formal agenda

a formal meeting of two or more states, political groups, etc, esp to discuss differences or formulate common policy

an assembly of the clergy or of clergy and laity of any of certain Protestant Christian Churches acting as representatives of their denominationthe Methodist conference

sport a league or division of clubs or teams

rare an act of bestowal

Derived Formsconferential (ˌkɒnfəˈrɛnʃəl), adjective

Word Origin for conference

C16: from Medieval Latin conferentia, from Latin conferre to bring together; see confer

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for conference

conference

1550s, "act of conferring," from Middle French conférence (15c.), from Medieval Latin conferentia, from Latin conferens, present participle of conferre (see confer). Meaning "formal meeting for consultation" is from 1580s.

conference

noun

verb (used without object), con·fer·enced, con·fer·enc·ing.

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conference

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conference

conference

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British Dictionary definitions for.css-ylq2vz{color:#1a1a1a;} conference

conference

noun

Word Origin for conference

Word Origin and History for conference

conference

noun

British Dictionary definitions for conference