con·fer·ence 
(kŏnfər-əns, -frəns)
(kŏnfər-əns, -frəns)n.
1.
a. A meeting for consultation or discussion.
b. An exchange of views.
c. A meeting of committees to settle differences between two legislative bodies.
2. An assembly of clerical or of clerical and lay members from a particular district in various Protestant churches.
3. Sports An association of teams.
4. The act of conferring, as of an academic degree.
[Medieval Latin cōnferentia, from Latin cōnferēns, cōnferent-, present participle of cōnferre, to bring together; see CONFER.]
con′fer·ential (-fə-rĕnshəl) adj.