Where does “conference” come from?

Conference comes from Middle French conférence, from Latin conferentia, the noun form of conferens, the present participle of confero, meaning to bring together, from con- and the root bʰer- meaning to carry or bear.

conference (English): The act of consulting together formally; serious...

Definitions

  1. The act of consulting together formally; serious...

Ancestry of “conference”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Frenchconférence
2Latinconferensgathering (together), uniting, joining
3Latincōnferōto bring or collect together, gather; unite, join, connect
4Latincōn-Used in compounds to indicate a being or bringing together of several objects
5Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
6Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
7Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
8Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
9Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
10Middle Englishkyt
11Germankittputty certain kinds of cement used for fixing e.g. window panes
12Old High Germankuti
13Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
14Proto-Germanickweduzresin
15Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
16Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū-Every word from Latin cōn-Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷet-