symposium

symposium
/sim poh"zee euhm/, n., pl. symposiums, symposia /-zee euh/.
1. a meeting or conference for the discussion of some subject, esp. a meeting at which several speakers talk on or discuss a topic before an audience.
2. a collection of opinions expressed or articles contributed by several persons on a given subject or topic.
3. an account of a discussion meeting or of the conversation at it.
4. (in ancient Greece and Rome) a convivial meeting, usually following a dinner, for drinking and intellectual conversation.
5. (cap., italics) a philosophical dialogue (4th century B.C.) by Plato, dealing with ideal love and the vision of absolute beauty.
[1580-90; < L < Gk sympósion drinking party, equiv. to sym- SYM- + po- (var. s. of pínein to drink) + -sion n. suffix]

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In ancient Greece, an aristocratic banquet at which men met to discuss philosophical and political issues and recite poetry.

It began as a warrior feast. Rooms were designed specifically for the proceedings. The participants, all male aristocrats, wore garlands and leaned on the left elbow on couches, and there was much drinking of wine, served by slave boys. Prayers opened and closed the meetings; sessions sometimes ended with a procession in the streets. In Plato's famous Symposium, an imaginary dialogue takes place between Socrates, Aristophanes, Alcibiades, and others on the subject of love. Aristotle, Xenophon, and Epicurus wrote symposium literature on other subjects.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • symposium — [ sɛ̃pozjɔm ] n. m. • 1951; « banquet » 1876; mot angl. 1711; gr. sumposion « banquet », par allus. au Banquet de Platon ♦ Congrès scientifique réunissant un nombre restreint de spécialistes et traitant un sujet particulier. ⇒ colloque, forum,… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • symposium — sym‧po‧si‧um [sɪmˈpəʊziəm ǁ ˈpoʊ ] noun symposiums PLURALFORM or symposia [ ziə] [countable] a formal meeting in which people involved in a particular business or subject discuss it: • London will be the venue for the annual symposium …   Financial and business terms

  • symposium — 1580s, account of a gathering or party, from L. symposium drinking party, symposium, from Gk. symposion convivial gathering of the educated (related to sympotes drinking companion ), from syn together + posis a drinking, from a stem of Aeolic… …   Etymology dictionary

  • Symposium — Sym*po si*um, n.; pl. {Symposia}. [L., fr. Gr. sympo sion a drinking party, feast; sy n with + po sis a drinking. See {Syn }, and cf. {Potable}.] 1. A drinking together; a merry feast. T. Warton. [1913 Webster] 2. A collection of short essays by… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • symposium — index assemblage, conference, meeting (conference), panel (discussion group), parley Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • symposium — /sim pɔsjum/ s. neutro lat., usato in ital. al masch., per lo più solo al sing. [incontro durante il quale si discute sui vari aspetti di un tema] ▶◀ congresso, convegno, convention, forum, giornata di studio, simposio. ‖ incontro, meeting, panel …   Enciclopedia Italiana

  • Symposium — Sn Symposion …   Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen sprache

  • symposium — → simposio …   Diccionario panhispánico de dudas

  • symposium — /lat. ʃimˈpɔzjum/ s. m. inv. (lett.) V. simposio …   Sinonimi e Contrari. Terza edizione

  • symposium — meaning ‘a gathering for discussion’, has the plural form symposia (preferred) or symposiums …   Modern English usage

  • symposium — [n] conference colloquium, convention, discussion, discussion group, forum, gabfest*, huddle, meeting, panel discussion, parley, powwow, rap session, round table, seminar, talk; concepts 56,324,386 …   New thesaurus

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