confer
v.to talk with other people to exchange ideas or make a decision. It can also mean to give someone a special honor, right, or power.
v.to consult or discuss something with others in order to reach a decision; alternatively, to grant or bestow a title, degree, or benefit. Often used in formal or academic contexts.
“The judges need to confer before they announce the winner.”
“The university will confer an honorary doctorate upon the scientist for her lifelong dedication to research.”
“After the board members confer with their legal advisors, they will determine whether the proposed merger complies with current antitrust regulations.”
When meaning 'to discuss', it is intransitive and usually takes the preposition 'with'. When meaning 'to give', it is transitive and often takes the preposition 'on' or 'upon'.
When used to mean 'bestow', the verb takes the preposition 'on' or 'upon' rather than 'to'.
Usage confers a special · confer advantage · confer benefit
“Soccer owes much of its rise in these United States to the worldliness it confers.”
“It is under precisely these conditions that intelligence confers an additional advantage.”
From Early Modern English conferre, from Middle French conférer, from Old French conferer, from Latin cōnferō. Compare Dutch confereren, German konferieren, Danish konferere, Swedish konferera. Doublet of collate. See also infer, relate and refer, delate and defer, as well as prelate and prefer among others.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.