session

American  

[sesh-uhn] / ˈsɛʃ ən /

noun

1. the sitting together of a court, council, legislature, or the like, for conference or the transaction of business.

   Congress is now in session.

2. a single continuous sitting, or period of sitting, of persons so assembled.

3. a continuous series of sittings or meetings of a court, legislature, or the like.

4. the period or term during which such a series is held.

5. sessions, (in English law) the sittings or a sitting of justices in court, usually to deal with minor offenses, grant licenses, etc.

6. a single continuous course or period of lessons, study, etc., in the work of a day at school.

   Through a mixture of both lectures and lab sessions, you will develop a broad engineering skill base.

7. a portion of the year into which instruction is organized at a college or other educational institution.

   She’s enrolled in a six-week summer session.

8. the governing body of a local Presbyterian church, composed of the pastor who moderates and the elders.

9. a period of time during which a group of persons meets to pursue a particular activity.

   It was the last show before their recording sessions this week where they will produce their first album.

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session British  

/ ˈsɛʃən /

noun

1. the meeting of a court, legislature, judicial body, etc, for the execution of its function or the transaction of business

2. a single continuous meeting of such a body

3. a series or period of such meetings

4. education

   1. the time during which classes are held

   2. a school or university term or year

5. Presbyterian Church the judicial and administrative body presiding over a local congregation and consisting of the minister and elders

6. a meeting of a group of musicians to record in a studio

7. a meeting of a group of people to pursue an activity

8. any period devoted to an activity

9. See Court of Session

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session Idioms  

1. see bull session.

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Other Word Forms

• presession noun
• sessional adjective
• sessionally adverb

Etymology

Origin of session

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English sessio(u)n, cessio(u)n, from Anglo-French, Middle French session, from Latin sessiōn- (stem of sessiō ) “sitting, bench, law-court sitting,” equivalent to sess(us) (past participle of sedēre to sit ¹ ) + -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

This data is valuable: a one-hour session of developer data using an AI coding tool could cost as much at $500, according to startups that hire contractors to help train AI models.

From The Wall Street Journal

Airbus shares fell by the most in a single session in over a year after a report of an issue on several of its planes.

From MarketWatch

Airbus shares fell by the most in a single session in over a year after a report of an issue on several of its planes.

From MarketWatch

People are being offered a £40 shopping voucher in return for completing a money session.

From BBC

All of the England squad except for Wood took part in England's first training session under lights at the Gabba on Monday.

From BBC

Related Words

• conference
• discussion
• hearing
• period
• term