/ ˈkɒnfərəns; NAmE ˈkɑːn-/ noun
1.
a large official meeting, usually lasting for a few days, at which people with the same work or interests come together to discuss their views :
The hotel is used for exhibitions, conferences and social events.
a conference room / centre / hall
She is attending a three-day conference on AIDS education.
The conference will be held in Glasgow.
delegates to the Labour Party's annual conference
2.
a meeting at which people have formal discussions :
Ministers from all four countries involved will meet at the conference table this week.
He was in conference with his lawyers all day.
—see also press conference
3.
( especially NAmE ) a group of sports teams that play against each other in a league :
Southeast Conference football champions
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WORD ORIGIN
early 16th cent. (in the general sense conversation, talk ): from French conférence or medieval Latin conferentia , from Latin conferre bring together, from con- together + ferre bring.