meeting
A2Neutral to formal; common across all registers.
Definition
Meaning
An event where two or more people come together, usually at an agreed time and place, to discuss something.
The act of coming together; an assembly, a gathering, or a confluence (e.g., of rivers). Also, the people who meet as a group.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word can denote both the event itself and the participants collectively (e.g., 'The meeting voted to approve'). The duration and purpose can vary from informal chats to formal conferences.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is largely identical. The verb 'to meet' is used similarly. Minor differences: In UK contexts, 'AGM' (Annual General Meeting) is very common; in US, 'town hall meeting' is a frequent collocation.
Connotations
Similar connotations of planning, discussion, and sometimes bureaucracy in both varieties.
Frequency
Extremely high frequency in both business and general contexts in both UK and US English.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
have a meeting (with someone)be in a meetinghold a meeting (on/about something)arrange/organise a meeting (for something)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A meeting of minds”
- “Convene a meeting”
- “The meeting adjourned”
- “Break up a meeting”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Central concept. Refers to scheduled discussions for planning, reporting, or decision-making.
Academic
Used for seminars, committee gatherings, or supervisor appointments.
Everyday
Used for casual social gatherings (e.g., 'We had a lovely meeting at the cafe').
Technical
Specific in fields like project management (stand-up meeting) or governance (quorate meeting).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- They are meeting to discuss the budget.
- We met him at the station.
American English
- They're meeting to discuss the budget.
- We met up with him at the train station.
adverb
British English
- (Not typically used as an adverb. The present participle 'meeting' can function adverbially in phrases like 'He ran out, meeting her on the stairs.').
American English
- (Not typically used as an adverb.)
adjective
British English
- The meeting room is booked.
- He has a meeting-heavy schedule.
American English
- The meeting room is reserved.
- Her schedule is meeting-packed.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- We have a class meeting every Monday.
- I will see you at the meeting.
- The meeting starts at ten o'clock.
- Could we arrange a meeting for next week?
- She couldn't attend the meeting because she was ill.
- The project meeting lasted two hours.
- The board called an emergency meeting to address the crisis.
- After a lengthy meeting, a consensus was finally reached.
- He skillfully chaired the meeting, keeping everyone on topic.
- The clandestine meeting of the stakeholders was held at a discreet location.
- The annual general meeting ratified the new articles of association.
- A confluence of ideas emerged from the interdisciplinary meeting.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'MEAT' + 'ING' – Imagine a group of people meeting to share a meal and talk.
Conceptual Metaphor
MEETING IS A CONTAINER (e.g., 'in a meeting', 'get out of a meeting'). TIME IS A RESOURCE (e.g., 'waste time in a meeting').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation of 'собрание' for all contexts; 'meeting' is more specific than the broad Russian term. 'Встреча' is closer for casual/social meetings. 'Заседание' is best for formal/committee meetings.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect article use: 'I have meeting at 3' (correct: 'a meeting'). Confusing 'meeting' (event) with 'meet' (verb). Using plural unnecessarily: 'I have many meetings' is correct, but 'I have a meetings' is wrong.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is NOT a typical collocation with 'meeting'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A 'meeting' typically involves two or more people gathering to discuss something. An 'appointment' is a pre-arranged time to meet someone, often one-on-one (e.g., doctor, hairdresser), or can be for a single person (e.g., a calendar slot).
Yes, absolutely. A meeting can be between two people (a one-to-one meeting) or many people. The key is the planned gathering for discussion.
It's a strong synonym, but a 'conference' is usually larger, more formal, and often lasts multiple days with a specific theme, while a 'meeting' is generally shorter and can be any size.
'Meeting' is almost always countable. You have 'a meeting', 'two meetings'. The uncountable form 'meeting' (as in 'the act of meeting') is rare and mostly found in formal or old-fashioned contexts (e.g., 'the meeting of two great rivers').
Collections
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