forum
noun
the marketplace or public square of an ancient Roman city, the center of judicial and business affairs and a place of assembly for the people.
forum
American
[fawr-uhm]
/ ˈfɔr əm /
noun
-
forums,
plural
-
fora
plural
-
the marketplace or public square of an ancient Roman city, the center of judicial and business affairs and a place of assembly for the people.
-
a court or tribunal.
the forum of public opinion.
-
an assembly, meeting place, television program, etc., for the discussion of questions of public interest.
-
Also called online forum, internet forum, web forum. message board.
-
the Forum, the forum in the ancient city of Rome.
forum
1
British
/ ˈfɔːrəm /
noun
-
a meeting or assembly for the open discussion of subjects of public interest
-
a medium for open discussion, such as a magazine
-
a public meeting place for open discussion
-
a court; tribunal
-
(in South Africa) a pressure group of leaders or representatives, esp Black leaders or representatives
-
(in ancient Italy) an open space, usually rectangular in shape, serving as a city's marketplace and centre of public business
Forum
2
British
/ rəʊˈmɑːnəm /
noun
Usage
Plural word for forum The plural form of forum can be either forums or fora. Forums is more widely used. The plurals of several other singular words that end in -um are formed in this way, including gum/gums, possum/possums, or geranium/geraniums. Irregular plurals that are formed like fora, such as curriculum/curricula and memorandum/memoranda, derive directly from their original pluralization in Latin. However, the standard English plural -s ending is often also acceptable for these terms, as in curriculums and memorandums.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of forum
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Latin: “marketplace, public place,” akin to forīs, forās “outside,” foris door
Explanation
A forum is a public discussion. It can refer to a meeting, a meeting house or any conversation that is available publicly. There were forums — large public gathering places — in Ancient Rome; they can still be found across the globe. Traditionally, newspapers were thought of as forums for public discussions but more and more forums are virtual — discussion boards found online. Communities, however, still hold their own forums, or meetings, usually to discuss local issues. When you see the word forum, think public conversation.
Vocabulary lists containing forum
100 SAT Words Beginning with "F"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Ancient Rome - Introductory
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Dear Martin
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
Traditionally the president's speech at this annual foreign policy forum provides insight into Putin's world view.
From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026
And it’s sometimes hard to draw a line between those two things: Is this an exclusive, or is it a public forum?
From Slate ● Sep. 30, 2026
An idealistic forum for postwar rebuilding, he discovers, has become a front for espionage and cynical realpolitik.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026
Clark’s program is one of five formal law school programs and centers that sponsored the 9/11 forum.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026
As if the angry Romans, burning couches, and exploding buildings weren’t confusing enough, hundreds of purple ghosts drifted through the forum, passing straight through the demigods’ bodies and wailing incoherently.
From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan
“It falls into a gray zone,” said Shin, who is now secretary-general of the Korea Defense Forum, a think tank based in Seoul.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
Chairman of Cardiff Night Forum Nick Newman said he was "absolutely delighted" by the announcement, as another "fantastic showpiece" is coming to the city.
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026
Tanter started with the team in 1982 when the Lakers played in the Forum.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 24, 2026
On Friday, a group of independent AI evaluation organizations called the AI Evaluator Forum published a public letter outlining a general framework for embedded evaluators.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 19, 2026
And then there was a knock on the door and the Dell Duke Internal Idiotic Discussion Forum was interrupted by the voice of Pattie Nguyen.
From "Counting by 7s" by Holly Goldberg Sloan
"The Pacific Island countries are constantly bearing the burden of coming to other fora and trying to get their voice heard."
From Barron's ● Apr. 30, 2026
These included potential fora tax free allowance, holiday activity provider vouchers and working with employers to co-fund support.
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2025
Lula will have his chance to welcome foreign leaders for important multilateral fora in coming years, as well, hosting the G20 next year and likely the U.N. climate conference in 2025.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 18, 2023
"International NGOs and intergovernmental organizations could also play an important role in the synthesis and dissemination of new research, making sure it contributes to debates at international fora such as the climate and biodiversity COPs."
From Salon ● Sep. 3, 2023
She holds my arm fora few seconds, and then releases me.
From "Insurgent" by Veronica Roth
Hundreds of posts labeling me misogynistic and bigoted appeared on Cornell’s anonymous chat forums.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
In these forums, one name kept coming up: Captain Randy Cramer.
From Slate ● Sep. 22, 2026
The Japanese denim industry is the product of Hollywood’s cultural exports, a U.S. military occupation, Japan’s quest to rebuild its economy, American offshoring, clunky old internet forums and some very interesting characters.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 20, 2026
Both sides have found energy online, within highly active forums on Facebook, Reddit, Tattle Life, and elsewhere.
From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026
Post reviews on your profile, join book conversations in the forums, and bask in the book-loving ambiance.
From "Book Scavenger" by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
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.
