conference

noun

con·​fer·​ence ˈkän-f(ə-)rən(t)s 

-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

kən-ˈfər-ən(t)s 

: 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

ˌkän-fə-ˈren(t)-shəl 

adjective

Synonyms

• assemblage
• assembly
• congregation
• convocation
• gathering
• ingathering
• meeting
• muster

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

But the Heat still made the playoffs for the sixth straight year by becoming the first 10th-place team in either conference to make the playoffs from the NBA’s play-in tournament. —Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2025

Meanwhile, the stall tactics continued; Gladstone was put in a conference room and told to sit tight. —Michael Silver, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025

Along with advocating for the federal No Fakes Act, a bipartisan bill now working its way through Congress, Crabtree-Ireland was an active presence at major tech conference CES last January in Las Vegas. —Dade Hayes, Deadline, 29 Apr. 2025

Last season: Kennard was named SEC defensive player of the year and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Award winner as the nation’s most outstanding defensive player after leading the conference with 11 ½ sacks and 15 ½ tackles for loss. —Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 27 Apr. 2025

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

Phrases Containing conference

• conference call
• news conference
• press conference

Kids Definition

conference

noun

con·​fer·​ence ˈkän-f(ə-)rən(t)s 

-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 

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

also : conference committee

3

: caucus