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• forum
  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
  Forum

  noun

  the main forum of ancient Rome, situated between the Capitoline and the Palatine Hills

forum

American  

[fawr-uhm] / ˈfɔr əm /

noun

plural

forums, fora

1. 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.

2. a court or tribunal.

   the forum of public opinion.

3. an assembly, meeting place, television program, etc., for the discussion of questions of public interest.

4. Also called online forum,.  Also called internet forum,.  Also called web forum.  message board.

5. the Forum, the forum in the ancient city of Rome.

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forum ¹ British  

/ ˈfɔːrəm /

noun

1. a meeting or assembly for the open discussion of subjects of public interest

2. a medium for open discussion, such as a magazine

3. a public meeting place for open discussion

4. a court; tribunal

5. (in South Africa) a pressure group of leaders or representatives, esp Black leaders or representatives

6. (in ancient Italy) an open space, usually rectangular in shape, serving as a city's marketplace and centre of public business

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Forum ² British  

/ rəʊˈmɑːnəm /

noun

1. the main forum of ancient Rome, situated between the Capitoline and the Palatine Hills

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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.

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.

Example Sentences

The confrontation, the arrest, the courtroom forum and viral footage form the centerpiece of a new strategy.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

Doing so, Martinez de Vara told attendees at a January 2015 forum sponsored by the influential conservative Texas Public Policy Foundation, would prevent future elected leaders from abandoning the model by, for instance, raising taxes.

From Salon • May 3, 2026

The London Assembly member said he apologised because social media was "not the appropriate forum to have that concern", adding he believed the commissioner's open letter "also wasn't necessarily the appropriate forum".

From BBC • May 3, 2026

Tolchin argued that the Adelanto immigration court “is a friendlier forum for DHS” and noted that four of the five immigration judges “have denial rates of asylum of almost 88 percent.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026

Tyson came running across the forum, Ella fluttering behind him with a scroll in her talons.

From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan

Related Words

• conference
• convention
• gathering
• seminar
• symposium