conversation

con·ver·sa·tion

Use conversation in a sentence

noun

The definition of a conversation is a sharing of thoughts and ideas.

An example of a conversation is two friends talking while having coffee together.

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"conversation." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 22 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Conversation>.

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conversation. (n.d.). Retrieved February 22nd, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Conversation

conversation

the act or an instance of talking together; specif.,
1. familiar talk; verbal exchange of ideas, opinions, etc.
2. an informal conference on a problem or area of interest by representatives of governments, factions, etc.
sexual intercourse: now only in the legal phrase criminal conversation, i.e., adultery as grounds for divorce or other action
Archaic manner of living; behavior
Obs. social intercourse
Obs. familiarity based on study or use

Origin of conversation

Middle English conversacioun from Old French conversation from Classical Latin conversatio from past participle of conversari: see converse

conversation Idioms

make conversation

Informal to engage in light, informal conversation, often, specif., out of mere politeness

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MLA Style

"conversation." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 22 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Conversation>.

APA Style

conversation. (n.d.). Retrieved February 22nd, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Conversation

conversation

noun

The exchange of thoughts and feelings by means of speech or sign language: gifted in the art of conversation.
An instance of this: held a long conversation on the subject.

Related Forms:

con′ver·sa′tion·al
adjective

con′ver·sa′tion·al·ly
adverb

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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MLA Style

"conversation." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 22 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Conversation>.

APA Style

conversation. (n.d.). Retrieved February 22nd, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Conversation

Noun

(plural conversations)

Expression and exchange of individual ideas through talking with other people; also, a set instance or occasion of such talking. [from 16th c.]
I had an interesting conversation with Nicolas yesterday about how much he's getting paid.
(fencing) The back-and-forth play of the blades in a bout.
(archaic) Behaviour, the way one conducts oneself; a person's way of life. [from 14th c.]
1749, Henry Fielding, Tom Jones, Folio Society 1973, p. 333:
The landlady therefore would by no means have admitted any conversation of a disreputable kind to pass under her roof.
(computing) The protocol-based interaction between systems processing a transaction.

Usage notes

To make conversation means to start a conversation with someone with no other aim than to talk and break the silence.
To have a conversation, and to hold a conversation, both mean to converse.
See Appendix:Collocations of do, have, make, and take

Verb

(third-person singular simple present conversations, present participle conversationing, simple past and past participle conversationed)

(nonstandard, intransitive) To engage in conversation (with).

Anagrams

conservation

Origin

From Old French conversation, from Latin conversātiōnem, accusative singular of conversātiō (“conversation”), from conversor (“abide, keep company with”).

See also: convèrsâtion

English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.

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Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"conversation." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 22 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Conversation>.

APA Style

conversation. (n.d.). Retrieved February 22nd, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Conversation

conversation - Computer Definition

An ongoing e-mail correspondence. See threaded e-mail.

Computer Desktop Encyclopedia THIS DEFINITION IS FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY All other reproduction is strictly prohibited without permission from the publisher. © 1981-2017 The Computer Language Company Inc. All rights reserved.