symposium

noun

sym·​po·​sium sim-ˈpō-zē-əm 

 also  -zh(ē-)əm

plural symposia sim-ˈpō-zē-ə 

-zh(ē-)ə

or symposiums

1

a

: a convivial party (as after a banquet in ancient Greece) with music and conversation

b

: a social gathering at which there is free interchange of ideas

2

a

: a formal meeting at which several specialists deliver short addresses on a topic or on related topics compare colloquium

b

: a collection of opinions on a subject

especially : one published by a periodical

c

: discussion

Did you know?

When you hear the word symposium, you may—quite understandably—envision conferences full of intellectuals giving heady presentations on various arcana. But it was drinking, more than thinking, that drew people to the original symposia and gave us the word. Symposium (symposia or symposiums in plural form) comes from the Greek noun symposion, the word ancient Greeks used for a drinking party that follows a banquet. Symposion in turn comes from sympinein, a verb that combines pinein, meaning “to drink,” with the prefix syn-, meaning “together.” Originally, English speakers only used symposium to refer to such an ancient Greek party, but in the 18th century British gentlemen’s clubs started using the word for confabs in which conversation was fueled by drinking. By the end of the 18th century, symposium had gained the more sober sense we know today, referring to meetings in which the focus is more on imbibing ideas and less on imbibing, say, mead.

Synonyms

• colloquy
• conference
• council
• forum
• panel
• panel discussion
• parley
• round-robin
• roundtable
• seminar

Examples of symposium in a Sentence

Professors and graduate students attended the symposium.

recently attended a daylong symposium on new methods of chromatography

Recent Examples on the Web

Alongside the new section, the festival will host a symposium looking back at the history of women directors in Japan. —Patrick Frater, Variety, 28 Oct. 2024

Fain has added his own twists, planning a once-a-year symposium that incorporates local women’s rights advocates, local therapists and a representative from A Call to Men. —Matt Villano, CNN, 2 Dec. 2024

Image As part of the events program around the Neue Nationalgalerie show, the museum announced a daylong symposium to discuss how the conflict in Gaza was polarizing artists in Germany. —Alex Marshall, New York Times, 25 Nov. 2024

The Neue Nationalgalerie brought on political scientist Saba-Nur Cheema and historian and author Meron Mendel to organize a symposium on anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and the war in Gaza that was set for the Sunday after Goldin’s opening. —Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 25 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from Greek symposion, from sympinein to drink together, from syn- + pinein to drink — more at potable

First Known Use

1711, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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Kids Definition

symposium

noun

sym·​po·​sium sim-ˈpō-zē-əm 

 also  -zh(ē-)əm

plural symposia -zē-ə 

-zh(ē-)ə

or symposiums

1

: a group meeting at which there are several speeches and often a group discussion

2

: a collection of opinions on a subject

Etymology

from earlier symposium "a social gathering at which there is a free exchange of ideas," from Latin symposium "a party with much drinking and conversation," derived from Greek sympinein "to drink together," from syn- "together with" and pinein "to drink" — related to synonymous