symposium
pronunciation
How to pronounce symposium in British English:
UK [sɪmˈpəʊziəm]
How to pronounce symposium in American English:
US [sɪmˈpoʊziəm]
-
- Noun:
- a meeting or conference for the public discussion of some topic especially one in which the participants form an audience and make presentations
Word Origin
- symposium
- symposium: [18] A symposium is etymologically a ‘get-together for a drink’. The word comes via Latin symposium from Greek sumpósion, a derivative of sumpótēs ‘drinking companion’. This was a compound noun formed from the prefix sun- ‘together’ and the base *pot- ‘drink’ (source of English poison, potion, etc). The Greeks favoured lubricating intellectual discussion with drink, and so the term sumpósion came to be used for a meeting which combined elements of party and intellectual interchange.=> poison, potable, potion
- symposium (n.)
- 1580s, "account of a gathering or party," from Latin symposium "drinking party, symposium," from Greek symposion "drinking party, convivial gathering of the educated" (related to sympotes "drinking companion"), from assimilated form of syn- "together" (see syn-) + posis "a drinking," from a stem of Aeolic ponen "to drink," cognate with Latin potare "to drink" (see potion). The symposium usually followed a dinner, for the Greeks did not drink at meals. Its enjoyment was heightened by intellectual or agreeable conversation, by the introduction of music or dancers, and by other amusements. [Century Dictionary] The sense of "a meeting on some subject" is from 1784. Reflecting the Greek fondness for mixing wine and intellectual discussion, the modern sense is especially from the word being used as a title for one of Plato's dialogues. Greek plural is symposia, and the leader of one is a symposiarch (c. 1600 in English). Related: Symposiac (adj.); symposial.
Example
- 1. But the question resurfaced at a big symposium luncheon in hong kong in november .
- 2. The original greek symposium was a meal at home where the host would provide food , conversation , and the occasional pole dancer .
- 3. We were wondering if you could speak at an english symposium we 're sponsoring .
- 4. A beleaguered bank economist trudged to france to defend himself at a symposium chaired by the head of the country 's constitutional court .
- 5. Hassiotou will present the team 's work at the 7th international breastfeeding and lactation symposium in vienna , austria early next year .