[ sɪm'pəʊzɪəm ]
■ noun ( plural symposia -zɪə or ~s )
1》 a conference or meeting to discuss a particular academic or specialist subject.
↘a collection of related papers by a number of contributors.
2》 a drinking party or convivial discussion, as held in ancient Greece after a banquet.
Origin
C16: via L. from Gk sumposion , from sumpotēs 'fellow drinker', from sun- 'together' + potēs 'drinker'.