conversation

A1 Topic:Communication

US /ˌkɑn.vəɹˈseɪ.ʃən/ UK /ˌkɒn.vəˈseɪ.ʃn̩/ See IPA manual

Freq #1426

Meanings

1

noun
A talk between two or more people in which they exchange news and ideas.

I had an interesting conversation with Nicolas yesterday.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a talk between two or more... chat discussion dialogue

Word family

Forms conversations

Derived forms conversation-stopperconversationableconversationalconversationismconversationistconversationizeconversationlessconvocyberconversationmetaconversationmidconversationnonconversation

Related forms conversant converse

Appears in

Phrases (8)

See all

have a conversation
to engage in a spoken exchange with someone

Verb + noun
join a conversation
to begin participating in a discussion already in progress

Verb + noun
start a conversation
to initiate talking with someone

Verb + noun
brief conversation
a short talk lasting only a few minutes

Adjective + noun
casual conversation
informal, relaxed talk about everyday topics

Adjective + noun
private conversation
a talk intended only for the people directly involved

Adjective + noun

Simplified etymology

Conversation comes from Latin conversare, ‘to mix with people’. It once meant ‘living among’ and ‘familiarity or intimacy’, and could also denote sexual intercourse, as reflected in the former legal term criminal conversation for adultery. Its sense of talking dates from the late 16th century.

Etymology

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.

conversacioun Middle English conversacion Old French conversātiōnem Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Communication

External links

# conversation

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˌkɑn.vəɹˈseɪ.ʃən/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌkɒn.vəˈseɪ.ʃn̩/
**Frequency rank:** 1426

## Meanings
1. A talk between two or more people in which they exchange news and ideas.

## Examples
- I had an interesting conversation with Nicolas yesterday.

## Derived Forms
- conversation-stopper
- conversationable
- conversational
- conversationism
- conversationist
- conversationize
- conversationless
- convo
- cyberconversation
- metaconversation
- midconversation
- nonconversation

## Related Forms
- conversant
- converse

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: conversacioun
- Root: conversacion
- Root: conversātiōnem

## Etymology
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.

## AI Etymology
conversation is a noun and verb. It is 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. Historical forms in the chain include conversacioun (Middle English), conversacion (Old French), and conversātiōnem (Latin). Current senses include a talk between two or more people in which they exchange news and ideas. Derived forms include conversation-stopper, conversationable, conversational, conversationism, and conversationist. Related words include conversant and converse.

## Topics
- Communication

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