The ancient Greeks would often follow a banquet with a drinking party they called a "symposion." That name came from "sympinein," a verb that combines pinein, meaning "to drink," with the prefix syn-, meaning "together." Originally, English speakers only used "symposium" to refer to such an ancient Greek party, but in ...

What is the origin of the word symposium?

1580s, "account of a gathering or party," from Latin symposium "drinking party, symposium," from Greek symposion "drinking party, convivial gathering of the educated" (related to sympotes "drinking companion"), from assimilated form of syn- "together" (see syn-) + posis "a drinking," from a stem of Aeolic ponen "to ...

What does symposium mean?

noun, plural sym·po·si·ums, sym·po·si·a [sim-poh-zee-uh]. a meeting or conference for the discussion of some subject, especially a meeting at which several speakers talk on or discuss a topic before an audience. a collection of opinions expressed or articles contributed by several persons on a given subject or topic.