different between conference vs gathering

English

Etymology

From Middle French conférence, from Medieval Latin conferentia, from Latin conferens.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?k?n.f??ns/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?k?n.f?.??ns/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?k?n.f?.??ns/, [?k???.f??ns], [?k???.f?n?s]

Noun

conference (plural conferences)

1. The act of consulting together formally; serious conversation or discussion; interchange of views.
2. (politics) A multilateral diplomatic negotiation.
3. (sciences) A formal event where scientists present their research results in speeches, workshops, posters or by other means.
4. (business) An event organized by a for-profit or non-profit organization to discuss a pressing issue, such as a new product, market trend or government regulation, with a range of speakers.
5. (sports) A group of sports teams that play each other on a regular basis.
6. (Philippines, sports) A constituent tournament of a sports league in a given season.
7. (obsolete) The act of comparing two or more things together; comparison.
   • 1594, Richard Hooker, Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie

     helps and furtherances which […] the mutual conference of all men's collections and observations may afford

8. (Methodist Church) A stated meeting of preachers and others, invested with authority to take cognizance of ecclesiastical matters.
9. A voluntary association of Congregational churches of a district; the district in which such churches are.

Derived terms

Translations

See also

• discussant, lecturer, parleyer, prelector, speaker.

The Writing-Rich High School Classroom: Engaging Students in ...

Verb

conference (third-person singular simple present conferences, present participle conferencing, simple past and past participle conferenced)

1. (transitive, intransitive, education) To assess (a student) by one-on-one conversation, rather than an examination.
   • 2009, Jennifer Berne, The Writing-Rich High School Classroom

     The students who were conferenced on paper 1 will get a written response to paper 2, and those who received a written response to paper 1 will be conferenced on paper 2.

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??æ.ð?.???/

Etymology 1

From Middle English gadering, from Old English gaderung (“gathering, assembly”), equivalent to gather +? -ing (verbal noun ending).

Noun

gathering (plural gatherings)

1. A meeting or get-together; a party or social function.

2. A group of people or things.

3. (bookbinding) A section, a group of bifolios, or sheets of paper, stacked together and folded in half.

4. A charitable contribution; a collection.
5. (medicine) A tumor or boil suppurated or maturated; an abscess.

Translations

Further reading

• gathering on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Section (bookbinding) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Etymology 2

From Middle English gaderynge, equivalent to gather +? -ing (present participle ending).

Verb

gathering

1. present participle of gather

Adjective

gathering (not comparable)

1. That gathers together

Derived terms

• data-gathering
• evidence-gathering

Anagrams

• nightgear