conversation
- 01 A1 Beginner
n.a talk between two or more people where they share thoughts and ideas.
n.the informal exchange of ideas by spoken words. Both countable and uncountable depending on whether it refers to a specific instance or the general activity.
Simple“We had a long conversation about our plans for the summer while we walked.”
In context“The dinner party was filled with lively conversation, ranging from local politics to the latest developments in international cinema.”
PitfallI had a conversation for my holiday with him. I had a conversation about my holiday with him.Use 'about' to describe the topic of the conversation.
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
n.the way two computers or programs send information back and forth.
n.a series of related data exchanges between two or more communication devices or software programs.
Simple“The server failed because it could not finish the conversation with the database.”
In context“Network administrators monitored the conversation between the client and the server to identify where the packet loss was occurring.”
Synonyms - 03 C2 Proficiency
n.the back-and-forth movement of swords during a fight.
n.the continuous exchange of offensive and defensive blade actions between two fencers.
Simple“The two fencers engaged in a fast conversation of parries and ripostes.”
In context“The bout was characterized by a sophisticated conversation of blades, with neither athlete willing to commit to a risky attack.”
- 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to have a talk with someone.
v.to engage in a conversation. This verbal form is often considered nonstandard or informal compared to 'converse'.
Simple“They spent the whole afternoon conversationing on the porch.”
In context“While some purists dislike the usage, it is common to hear people conversationing freely in casual social settings.”
UsageOften used as an intransitive verb followed by 'with'.
Usage conversation in our comments
From Middle English conversacioun, from Old French conversacion and its etymon, Latin conversātiōnem, accusative singular of conversātiō (“conversation”), from conversor (“abide, keep company with”). Doublet of conversazione. Morphologically converse + -ation.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.