sym·po·si·um / simˈpōzēəm/ • n. (pl. -si·a / -zēə/ or -si·ums) a conference or meeting to discuss a particular subject. ∎  a collection of essays or papers on a particular subject by a number of contributors. ∎  a drinking party or convivial discussion, esp. as held in ancient Greece after a banquet (and notable as the title of a work by Plato).

symposium originally (in the late 16th century) a drinking party or convivial discussion, especially as held in ancient Greece after a banquet (and notable as the title of a work by Plato); the word comes ultimately from Greek sumpotēs ‘fellow drinker’.

From the late 18th century, the word has been used to denote a conference or meeting to discuss a particular subject, and from the mid 20th century, a publication consisting of essays or papers on a given subject by a number of contributors.

symposium drinking party, convivial meeting for conversation, etc.; meeting for discussion. XVIII. — L. symposium — Gr. sumpósion, f. sumpótēs fellow-drinker, f. SYM- + *pot- (cf. POTION). Earlier (XVI) the latinized title of one of Plato's dialogues.
So symposiac convivial; †sb. symposium. XVII. — L. — Gr.

Symposium

a collection of opinions, 1882; a conference on a specific topic, 1869; a drinking party, 1748—Wilkes.