conference

[kon-fer-uhns, -fruhns]

noun

1. a meeting for consultation or discussion.

   a conference between a student and his adviser.

   Synonyms: colloquium, parley

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

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

4. an association of athletic teams; league.

   an intercollegiate conference.

5. Ecclesiastical.

   1. an official assembly of clergy or of clergy and laity, customary in many Christian denominations.

   2. a group of churches whose representatives regularly meet in such an assembly.

verb (used without object)

conferenced, conferencing 

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

conference

/ ˈkɒnfərəns, -frəns, ˌkɒnfəˈrɛnʃəl /

noun

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

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

3. an assembly of the clergy or of clergy and laity of any of certain Protestant Christian Churches acting as representatives of their denomination

   the Methodist conference

4. sport a league or division of clubs or teams

5. rare,  an act of bestowal

Other Word Forms

• conferential adjective
• preconference noun
• subconference noun
• subconferential adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of conference¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of conference¹

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

Synonym Study

See convention.

Example Sentences

Porter said to the young woman after she came into view in the background of the video conference.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Swinney told the SNP conference in Aberdeen his proposals were the most realistic way of pursuing the goal, based on a previous precedent which brought about the 2014 referendum.

Read more on BBC

"As we get into this, we find it even more devastating than we thought initially," he told a news conference.

Read more on BBC

"We can assume that they are deceased at this time," Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis told a news conference, referring to 18 people missing since the explosion Friday in the town of Bucksnort.

Read more on Barron's

They told the BBC "female journalists were excluded due to lack of proper coordination and will be invited to next conference if held in Delhi".

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• consultation 
• discussion 
• forum 
• interview 
• meeting 
• seminar 
• symposium 
• talk