Etymology

From Middle FrenchCategory:English terms borrowed from Middle French#CONFERENCECategory:English terms derived from Middle French#CONFERENCE conférence, from Medieval LatinCategory:English terms derived from Medieval Latin#CONFERENCE cōnferentia, from LatinCategory:English terms derived from Latin#CONFERENCE cōnferēns, omitting several steps, from con- + ferō.

Compare parallel Russian собра́ние (sobránije), Russian сбо́рище (sbórišče), akin to с- (s-), со- (so-) + брать (bratʹ), ultimately from the same Indo-European prefix and root. Also compare congress, convention.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈkɒn.f(ə.)ɹəns/Category:English 3-syllable words#CONFERENCECategory:English terms with IPA pronunciation#CONFERENCE

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

  Category:English terms with audio pronunciation#CONFERENCE
• (General American, Canada) IPA^(key): /ˈkɑn.f(ə.)ɹəns/, [ˈkʰɑɱ.fɹəns], [ˈkʰɑɱ.fɹn̩s]Category:English 3-syllable words#CONFERENCECategory:English terms with IPA pronunciation#CONFERENCE
• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /ˈkɔn.f(ə.)ɹəns/Category:English 3-syllable words#CONFERENCECategory:English terms with IPA pronunciation#CONFERENCE
• (New Zealand) IPA^(key): /ˈkɒn.f(ə.)ɹəns/Category:English 3-syllable words#CONFERENCECategory:English terms with IPA pronunciation#CONFERENCE

Noun

conference (plural conferences)Category:English lemmas#CONFERENCECategory:English nouns#CONFERENCECategory:English countable nouns#CONFERENCECategory:English entries with incorrect language header#CONFERENCECategory:Pages with entries#CONFERENCECategory:Pages with 1 entry#CONFERENCE

1. The act of consulting together formally; serious conversation or discussion; interchange of views.
   • 1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene ii]:

     Nor with such free and friendly conference / As he hath used of old.

     Category:English terms with quotations#CONFERENCE

   • 1850, T. S. Arthur, “Seed Time and Harvest”, in Sketches of Life and Character‎, Philadelphia: J. W. Bradley, →OCLC, page 129:

     Mr. Wiley, a lawyer of some ability, was sitting in his office one day, when an elderly gentleman came in and asked to have a few words of conference with him.

     Category:English terms with quotations#CONFERENCE

2. (obsoleteCategory:English terms with obsolete senses#CONFERENCE) The act of comparing two or more things together; comparison.
   • [1594], Richard Hooker, edited by J[ohn] S[penser], Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie, […], London: […] Iohn Windet, […], →OCLC, (please specify the page):

     helps and furtherances which […] the mutual conference of all men's collections and observations may afford

     Category:English terms with quotations#CONFERENCE

3. (politicsCategory:en:Politics#CONFERENCE) A multilateral diplomatic negotiation.
4. (academia) A formal event where scientists or other scholars present their research results in speeches, workshops, posters or by other means.
5. (businessCategory:en:Business#CONFERENCE) An event organized by a for-profit or non-profit organization to discuss a pressing issue, such as a new product, market trend or government regulation, with a range of speakers.
6. (sportsCategory:en:Sports#CONFERENCE) A group of sports teams that play each other on a regular basis.
7. (PhilippinesCategory:Philippine English#CONFERENCE, sportsCategory:en:Sports#CONFERENCE) A constituent tournament of a sports league in a given season.
8. (Methodist Church) A stated meeting of preachers and others, invested with authority to take cognizance of ecclesiastical matters.
9. (ChristianityCategory:en:Christianity#CONFERENCE) A voluntary association of Congregational churches of a district; the district in which such churches are.
10. (chiefly ChristianityCategory:en:Christianity#CONFERENCE) A talk or lecture, (CatholicismCategory:en:Catholicism#CONFERENCE) especially when given as part of a retreat.
    • 1996, Kenneth R. Guindon, The King's Highway, Ignatius Press, →ISBN, page 114:

      “ […] But I do know of a man who is an expert on the topic. In fact, he gave a conference here in our church not very long ago. […] ”

      Category:English terms with quotations#CONFERENCE

    • 2000, Phil Kilroy, Madeleine Sophie Barat, 1779-1865: A Life, Paulist Press, →ISBN, page 109:

      She gave a conference each evening during the retreat while Fr Dubas gave two talks during the day.

      Category:English terms with quotations#CONFERENCE

    • 2011, Frederick Vaughan, Retreat from Manresa: A Jesuit Story, iUniverse, →ISBN, page 25:

      Frank Underhill listened intensely as Father Master began his conference that first evening after prayers in chapel at 7:00 p.m. with an enthusiastic and entertaining account of his own first night in the Society […] .

      Category:English terms with quotations#CONFERENCE

    • 2019 July 1, “A Vital Sketch of the Divine Revelation in the Books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers concerning God's Economy with His Chosen and Redeemed People”, in The Ministry of the Word, volume 23, number 07: Crystallization-Study of Numbers (2), Living Stream Ministry:

      When Brother Lee came to the United States, the first conference he gave was in 1962 on the all-inclusive Christ. All the attendees were new ones, yet he did not consider that the all-inclusive Christ was too high for them. No, he gave a conference on the all-inclusive Christ, including all these points from the books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers.

      Category:English terms with quotations#CONFERENCE

    • 2024, Charles Wright, The Way of the Heart: The Spiritual Experience of André Louf, Liturgical Press, →ISBN, page 268:

      In July 2004 in Finland he gave a conference on the link between prayer and ecology, and in July 2006, speaking to some German deaconesses, he gave an an-yet-unpublished conference on a similar topic titled “Transfiguration as an Icon of the Consecrated Life.”

      Category:English terms with quotations#CONFERENCE

Verb

conference (third-person singular simple present conferences, present participle conferencing, simple past and past participle conferenced)Category:English lemmas#CONFERENCECategory:English verbs#CONFERENCECategory:English entries with incorrect language header#CONFERENCECategory:Pages with entries#CONFERENCECategory:Pages with 1 entry#CONFERENCE

1. (ambitransitiveCategory:English transitive verbs#CONFERENCECategory:English intransitive verbs#CONFERENCE, educationCategory:en:Education#CONFERENCE) To assess (a student) by one-on-one conversation, rather than an examination.
   • 2009, Jennifer Berne, The Writing-Rich High School Classroom:

     The students who were conferenced on paper 1 will get a written response to paper 2, and those who received a written response to paper 1 will be conferenced on paper 2.

     Category:English terms with quotations#CONFERENCE

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