Conferencing

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. The process of conducting meetings or discussions via digital platforms, allowing individuals in different locations to communicate and collaborate simultaneously
2. A method of interaction where participants engage in conversations and share ideas remotely using audio or video technologies
3. The act of holding discussions or meetings through online platforms, enabling real-time communication and collaboration among participants in various locations

Etymology: "Conferencing" is simply the present participle and gerund of "conference," so its story is really the story of the older word. That word passed from Latin "conferre," meaning to bring together or compare, through Medieval Latin "conferentia" and Middle French "conférence," before reaching English. The Latin roots are "con-," meaning together, and "ferre," meaning to bring or carry, so the core idea is bringing things into one place. The sense of a meeting for discussion grew naturally from that picture of people brought together. The modern sense is far newer than the Latin root: a conference now often means people gathered by telephone or video link, with no shared room at all. The "bringing together" meaning survives intact, with the physical gathering replaced by a connection over a wire or screen.

Synonyms: meeting, conference, discussion, session, symposium