forum

noun

fo·​rum ˈfȯr-əm How to pronounce forum (audio)
plural forums also fora ˈfȯr-ə How to pronounce forum (audio)
1
a
: the marketplace or public place of an ancient Roman city forming the center of judicial and public business
b
: a public meeting place for open discussion
The club provides a forum for people interested in local history.
c
: a medium (such as a newspaper or online service) of open discussion or expression of ideas
2
: a judicial body or assembly : court
3
a
: a public meeting or lecture involving audience discussion
The town has scheduled a public forum to discuss the proposal.
b
: a program (as on radio or television) involving discussion of a problem usually by several authorities

Examples of forum in a Sentence

Forums were held to determine how to handle the situation. The town has scheduled a public forum to discuss the proposal. The club provides a forum for people who share an interest in local history.
Recent Examples on the Web This could be an online forum, social media group or even regular live events that are formed to accept participants. Chris Kille, Forbes, 12 Sep. 2024 Such updates can be piecemeal, incomplete, and scattered in different places throughout either the forum, a user’s profile, or in comments. Aja Romano, Vox, 10 Sep. 2024 Absent from the League of Nations, the U.S. had no forum in which to work toward a world response to growing global problems: the Depression and the rise of militaristic fascism. Cyrus Veeser / Made By History, TIME, 10 Sep. 2024 What used to be a rundown parking lot is now a diverse forum for people to meet and connect with others, said Shanahan − who called it Milwaukee's first outdoor skate park. Katherine Loren, Journal Sentinel, 9 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for forum 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'forum.' 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

Latin; akin to Latin foris outside, fores door — more at door

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of forum was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near forum

Cite this Entry

“Forum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forum. Accessed 6 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

forum

noun
fo·​rum ˈfōr-əm How to pronounce forum (audio)
ˈfȯr-
plural forums also fora -ə How to pronounce forum (audio)
1
: the marketplace or public place of an ancient Roman city serving as the center of public business
2
: a means (as a newspaper or online service) of open discussion or expression of ideas
3
: a meeting or program involving discussion

Legal Definition

forum

noun
fo·​rum ˈfō-rəm How to pronounce forum (audio)
1
2
a
: a judicial body or assembly : court
allowed the defendant in a state court action to choose the federal forum by removing the caseM. H. Redish
b
: the territorial jurisdiction of a court
due process requires defendant to have minimum level of contacts with forum before personal jurisdiction may be exercisedNational Law Journal

More from Merriam-Webster on forum

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