Dictionary
Find
in
Dictionary
Thesaurus
Translations

Click to move up the list of words
symphonist
symphony
symphony orchestra
symphysis
sympodium
symposia
symposiarch
symposiast
symposium
symptom
symptomatic
symptomatology
symptomize
syn-
synaeresis
synaesthesia
synagogue
Click to move down the list of words
Print Preview
See pronunciation key
Search for "symposium" in all of MSN Encarta
E-mail this entry
Blog about this entry on MSN Spaces
Download the MSN Encarta Right-Click Dictionary

symposium

sym·po·si·um [ sim pṓzee əm ] (plural sym·po·si·ums or sym·po·si·a [ sim pṓzee ə ])


noun 
Definition:
 
1. formal meeting for discussion of subject: a formal meeting held for the discussion of a subject, during which individual speakers may make presentations

2. publishing published collection of opinions: a published collection of opinions or writings on a subject, often in a periodical

3. ancient hist drinking party in ancient Greece: a drinking party in ancient Greece, usually with music and philosophical conversation

[Late 16th century. Via Latin< Greek sumposion "drinking party" < sumpotēs "drinker with another" < potēs "drinker"]

sym·po·si·ac adjective
Also on Encarta
Englishtown: Learn English online
Our Partners
Encarta Message Boards (© Rubberball/Jupiterimages)
MSN Shopping
Upgrade your Encarta experience
Encarta RSS Feeds
© 2008 Microsoft