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• round table
  round table

  noun

  a number of persons gathered together for conference, discussion of some subject, etc., and often seated at a round table.
• round-table
  round-table

  adjective

  noting or pertaining to a conference, discussion, or deliberation in which each participant has equal status, equal time to present views, etc..
• Round Table
  Round Table

  noun

  (in Arthurian legend) the table of King Arthur, shaped so that his knights could sit around it without any having precedence

round table

¹ American  

Also roundtable

noun

• round tables
  plural

1. a number of persons gathered together for conference, discussion of some subject, etc., and often seated at a round table.

2. the discussion, topic of discussion, or the conference itself.

3. Arthurian Legend. Round Table,

   1. the table, made round to avoid quarrels as to precedence, about which King Arthur and his knights sat.

   2. King Arthur and his knights.

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round-table ² American  

[raund-tay-buhl] / ˈraʊndˌteɪ bəl /

adjective

1. noting or pertaining to a conference, discussion, or deliberation in which each participant has equal status, equal time to present views, etc..

   round-table discussions.

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Round Table ¹ British  

noun

1. (in Arthurian legend) the table of King Arthur, shaped so that his knights could sit around it without any having precedence

2. Arthur and his knights collectively

3. one of an organization of clubs of young business and professional men who meet in order to further social and business activities and charitable work

4. (in New Zealand) an organization of businessmen supporting policies of the New Right

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round table ² British  

noun

1. 1. a meeting of parties or people on equal terms for discussion

   2. ( as modifier )

      a round-table conference

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• round tables
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of round table¹

Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300

Origin of round-table²

First recorded in 1820–30

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

round table round-table Round Table

You saw Jackie often at lunch at the round table in her living room.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 18, 2026

Admittedly, it's not looking good - the round table is shaping up to be a landslide vote against Grant.

From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026

I joined Stevens, the shop owner, and one other national reporter at a round table and we interviewed the congresswoman for about 20 minutes.

From Slate ● Jul. 30, 2026

But unfortunately, by the time Rausch steps up to defend him, the innocent comic is beyond any chance of clemency at the banishment round table.

From Salon ● Jun. 20, 2026

We ate in shifts, and I yearned all the more for our huge round table in Ocean Park.

From "Farewell to Manzanar" by Jeanne Houston

Evidence was gathered from a survey of nearly 2,000 sergeants and inspectors, expert round-table discussions and more than 400 responses to an open call for evidence.

From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026

But it said representatives from business, civil society, health, culture, higher education and policing would take part in individual round-table discussions with members of the Jewish community, hosted by the ministers.

From BBC ● May 4, 2026

And on “Brand New City,” she takes in the scene surrounding her, noting that “‘You Can’t Hurry Love’ plays on the stereo,” while “We quote all our friends / Like they’re round-table poets.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2025

Los Angeles Times Rams beat writer Gary Klein, Chargers beat writer Jeff Miller and NFL columnist Sam Farmer discuss what happened and upcoming prospects during a post-game, round-table session:

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2023

He smiled at the idea of holding round-table negotiations with Comrade Sumathi, or, better still, Comrade Lucykutty, who had much the nicer hair.

From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy

In Poland, Solidarity and Lech Wałęsa walked into the Round Table talks as the uncontested voice of the nation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 7, 2025

He co-chaired the India-UK Round Table from 2000-2005 and was awarded the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India in 1983.

From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2025

“The Bright Sword” distinguishes itself from more straightforward Arthurian legends by focusing on the characters on the far end of the Round Table, far from the star power of Arthur and Merlin.

From Seattle Times ● May 14, 2024

The Wall Street Journal reported that several pizza chains, including Pizza Hut and Round Table Pizza, began cutting an estimated 1,280 delivery jobs this year.

From Salon ● Apr. 19, 2024

The knights of the Round Table were sent out as a measure against Fort Mayne, and the choleric barons who lived by Fort Mayne took the cudgels with the ferocity of despair.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White

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