conference

noun

con·​fer·​ence ˈkän-f(ə-)rən(t)s How to pronounce conference (audio)
-fərn(t)s,
 for sense 2 usually  kən-ˈfər-ən(t)s
1
a
: a meeting of two or more persons for discussing matters of common concern
The president is in conference with his advisers.
b
: a usually formal interchange of views : consultation
a conference on climate change
c
: a meeting of members of the two branches of a legislature to adjust differences
d
: caucus
2
or less commonly conferrence : bestowal, conferment
the conference of academic degrees
3
a
: a representative assembly or administrative organization of a religious denomination
b
: a territorial division of a religious denomination
4
: an association of athletic teams
a football conference
conferential adjective

Examples of conference in a Sentence

The organization held its annual conference in New York this year. national conferences on women's health a conference of foreign ministers Our boss called a conference to discuss the new changes. He spent an hour in conference with the president. the champions of the American Football Conference
Recent Examples on the Web In reality, advancing one team to the Sweet 16 is the minimum expected of a power conference. Jon Wilner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Mar. 2024 Democrats have painted the departure of Gallagher, largely seen as a pragmatic lawmaker, as an example of the dysfunction within the Republican conference on Capitol Hill as the party shifts to the right. Lawrence Andrea, Journal Sentinel, 25 Mar. 2024 Business card exchanges and pocketbook weighing can become overbearing at large conferences and masterminds. Molly Peck, USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2024 Things have grown even more difficult for the conference since McCarthy's departure, as the majority in the chamber has gradually shrunk. Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2024 The destruction of the ballots would mark a rebuke of Hayden, who over the past couple years has promoted his investigation at right-wing conferences and events while assailing some commissioners as communists. Sarah Ritter, Kansas City Star, 22 Mar. 2024 One was a sales conference on artificial intelligence that filled a San Jose, Calif., hockey arena to the brim, the other a conclave on interest rates, inflation and unemployment at the Federal Reserve’s white marble neoclassical headquarters in Washington. Jeff Sommer, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2024 In the news conference on Thursday, doctors said Slayman is recovering well and expected to be discharged from the hospital soon. Brenda Goodman, CNN, 21 Mar. 2024 At the tech conference CES in January, Yaccarino hyped Lemon’s forthcoming show as part of X’s expanding slate of exclusive video offerings. Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 13 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'conference.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French and Medieval Latin; Middle French conference, borrowed from Medieval Latin conferentia "contribution, discussion," noun derivative from conferent-, conferens, present participle of conferre "to bring or take, convey, bring together" — more at confer

First Known Use

1527, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of conference was in 1527

Dictionary Entries Near conference

Cite this Entry

“Conference.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conference. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

conference

noun
con·​fer·​ence ˈkän-f(ə-)rən(t)s How to pronounce conference (audio)
-fərn(t)s
1
: a meeting for discussion or exchange of opinions
also : the discussion itself
2
: a meeting of members of the two branches of a legislature to settle differences
3
: an association of athletic teams
a football conference

Legal Definition

conference

noun
con·​fer·​ence ˈkän-frəns, -fə-rəns How to pronounce conference (audio)
1
: a meeting for consultation, deliberation, discussion, or interchange of opinions
a conference on environmental law
see also judicial conference, pretrial conference
2
: a meeting of members of the two branches of a legislature especially to adjust differences in the provisions of a bill passed in different forms by the two branches
3
: caucus

More from Merriam-Webster on conference

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