symposium English · revision 1123

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /sɪmˈpəʊziəm/ ''(UK)''; /sɪmˈpoʊziəm/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|symposium|t=drinking party]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) [[der|grc|συμπόσιον|tr=sumpósion|t=drinking party]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) from ''sun-'' “together” and ''pósis'' “a drinking”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) related to ''pínein'' “to drink”.^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) It is related to [[potable]] and [[potion]].^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ An account of a convivial gathering (before 1586), especially as the title of one of Plato's dialogues.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From 1711 the word meant the drinking party itself, a gathering with music and intellectual conversation after a dinner in ancient Greece.^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(OED 1989) The modern sense comes especially from the title of Plato's dialogue,^(Etymonline) and a meeting for the discussion of some subject is recorded from 1784.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) It also came to mean a collection of opinions or articles on a topic, as in a periodical (1784), or a book of essays by several authors (1946).^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1586 – an account of a gathering, and Plato's dialogue.^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1711 – a drinking party with conversation.^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1784 – a meeting for discussion; a collection of opinions.^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1946 – a book of essays by several authors.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A meeting or [[conference]] at which several speakers present and discuss a topic before an audience.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A collection of writings by several contributors on a particular subject, as in a [[magazine]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # In ancient Greece, a convivial gathering for drinking, music and intellectual conversation.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[symposiast]]

+ * [[potable]]

+ * [[potion]]

+ * [[colloquium]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Merriam-Webster gives both ''symposia'' and ''symposiums'' as plurals.^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}