What is a symposium

Tuesday, September 09, 2025 10:01AM

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin symposium,

from Ancient Greek συμπόσιον (sumpósion, “drinking party”)

from συμπίνω (sumpínō, “drink together”) συν- (sun-, “together-”) + πίνω (pínō, “drink”).

Noun

symposium (plural symposiums or symposia)

• A conference or other meeting for discussion of a topic, especially one in which the participants make presentations.
• A drinking party in Ancient Greece, especially one with intellectual discussion.

Alternative form: symposion

• A collection of essays, articles or papers on a particular subject by a number of contributors.

Related terms:

symposiast

sympotic

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Tuesday, September 09, 2025 10:03AM