Conference

How to spell conference

10 letters · 3 syllables

How to pronounce conference

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does conference mean?

1. nounA formal meeting where people gather to discuss a shared subject or exchange ideas.

Conference in a sentence

• The annual sales conference runs for three days in March.

• She booked a hotel near the venue for the medical conference.

Where does conference come from?

Language of origin: Latin

The word comes from the Latin verb conferre, which combined con- meaning 'together' with ferre meaning 'to carry' or 'to bring', so it literally described the act of bringing things together. In Latin this notion of bringing matters together came to mean discussing them, comparing notes, or conferring. English took the noun form through Medieval Latin conferentia and French in the early 1500s, when a conference meant a formal discussion or interview between people. Over time it broadened to name any organised meeting where people gather to talk over shared interests, and by the modern era it settled on the large professional gathering we know today. The same ferre root, meaning 'to carry', also gives English 'transfer', 'refer', and 'infer', which is a useful clue that the middle of the word is spelled 'fer'.

How the word is built

• con- (together)
• fer (to carry/bring)
• -ence (noun)