Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “symposium” come from?

Symposium derives from Latin symposium, from Ancient Greek συμπόσιον, nominalization of συμπίνω meaning to drink together, from συν- and σύν meaning together, from Proto-Indo-European som- and sem-.

symposium (English): A conference or other meeting for discussion of a...

Definitions

  1. A conference or other meeting for discussion of a...

Ancestry of “symposium”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinsymposiumsymposium
2Ancient Greekσυμπόσιονdrinking party, entertainment, feast, banquet,...
3Ancient Greekσῠμπότηςfellow drinker
4Ancient Greekσῠμπῑ́νωI drink together
5Ancient Greekσῠν-together; with, together
6Ancient Greekσύνbeside, with
7Proto-Hellenic*ksún—
Every word from Proto-Hellenic *ksún →