colloquy
noun
col·lo·quy ˈkä-lə-kwē 
plural colloquies
1
: conversation, dialogue
a colloquy between senators
2
: a high-level serious discussion : conference
a colloquy between the trial judge and defendant
Did you know?
Colloquy may make you think of colloquial, and there is indeed a connection between the two words. As a matter of fact, colloquy is the parent word from which colloquial was coined in the mid-18th century. Colloquy itself, though now the less common of the two words, has been a part of the English language since the 15th century. It is a descendant of Latin loquī, meaning "to speak." Other descendants of loquī in English include eloquent, loquacious, ventriloquism, and soliloquy, as well as elocution and interlocutor.
Synonyms
- conference
- council
- forum
- panel
- panel discussion
- parley
- round-robin
- roundtable
- seminar
- symposium
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
attended a colloquy on economic globalization the subject of the spirited colloquy was the disputed authorship of the plays attributed to Shakespeare
Recent Examples on the Web Charlie and Joanie’s colloquy in the thoroughfare is also a mutual reassurance that the other’s dream has value. 
Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 22 Dec. 2021 And the superb Baryshnikov somehow turns his body to stone, ending the colloquy. Joan Acocella, The New York Review of Books, 14 May 2020 While there is inevitably a performative dimension to the colloquy between these two figures who have spent so many years on the public stage, Obama and Springsteen are also both deeply introspective. BostonGlobe.com, 25 Mar. 2021 Milius concentrates on conservative patriots, yet her colloquy of all those involved in creating or fighting the coup highlights the varied countenances, plus their camera-ready expressions, that reveal an unexpectedly broad, adversarial America. Armond White, National Review, 9 Dec. 2020 Leach said during a news conference colloquy with this New York Times reporter, drawing some Mississippi State faithful to Twitter’s ramparts. Alan Blinder, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2020 An additional 10,000 have since listened to the recording of the colloquy with Joyce Barnathan, president of the International Center for Journalists. Peter Coy, Bloomberg.com, 16 May 2020 Of course, any congressman-law professor colloquy risks breaking the logorrheic scale. The Economist, 5 Dec. 2019 Cinderella’s innocent colloquies with her all-knowing birds never failed to crack me up. Los Angeles Times, 28 July 2019 See More
Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 22 Dec. 2021 And the superb Baryshnikov somehow turns his body to stone, ending the colloquy. Joan Acocella, The New York Review of Books, 14 May 2020 While there is inevitably a performative dimension to the colloquy between these two figures who have spent so many years on the public stage, Obama and Springsteen are also both deeply introspective. BostonGlobe.com, 25 Mar. 2021 Milius concentrates on conservative patriots, yet her colloquy of all those involved in creating or fighting the coup highlights the varied countenances, plus their camera-ready expressions, that reveal an unexpectedly broad, adversarial America. Armond White, National Review, 9 Dec. 2020 Leach said during a news conference colloquy with this New York Times reporter, drawing some Mississippi State faithful to Twitter’s ramparts. Alan Blinder, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2020 An additional 10,000 have since listened to the recording of the colloquy with Joyce Barnathan, president of the International Center for Journalists. Peter Coy, Bloomberg.com, 16 May 2020 Of course, any congressman-law professor colloquy risks breaking the logorrheic scale. The Economist, 5 Dec. 2019 Cinderella’s innocent colloquies with her all-knowing birds never failed to crack me up. Los Angeles Times, 28 July 2019 See More Word History
Etymology
Latin colloquium, from colloqui to converse, from com- + loqui to speak
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Legal Definition
colloquy
noun
col·lo·quy ˈkä-lə-kwē
: a discussion during a hearing between the judge and the defendant usually to ascertain the defendant's understanding of his or her rights and of the court proceedings
colloquy
noun
1
as in symposium
a meeting featuring a group discussion attended a colloquy on economic globalization Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- symposium
- seminar
- conference
- panel
- roundtable
- forum
- colloquium
- panel discussion
- parley
- debate
- conclave
- synod
- caucus
- round-robin
- convocation
- convention
- council
- deliberation
- town meeting
- congress
- assembly
- consistory
- congregation
- newsgroup
- chat room
- brainstorming
2
as in discussion
an exchange of views for the purpose of exploring a subject or deciding an issue the subject of the spirited colloquy was the disputed authorship of the plays attributed to Shakespeare Synonyms & Similar Words
- discussion
- debate
- consultation
- conversation
- consult
- talk
- dialogue
- argumentation
- meeting
- deliberation
- argument
- conference
- counsel
- dialog
- confab
- confabulation
- parley
- palaver
- symposium
- back-and-forth
- discourse
- roundtable
- give-and-take
- seminar
- chat
- consultancy
- council
- argy-bargy
- negotiation
- forum
- disquisition
- talkathon
- chat room
- bull session
- bargaining
- skull session
- rap
- skull practice
- words
- pourparler
3
as in conversation
talking or a talk between two or more people a casual colloquy between two old colleagues in the faculty lounge Synonyms & Similar Words
- conversation
- discussion
- converse
- discourse
- exchange
- dialogue
- chat
- dialog
- debate
- banter
- raillery
- persiflage
- symposium
- gabfest
- chitchat
- roundtable
- repartee
- prattle
- babble
- conference
- cross fire
- chatter
- parley
- small talk
- table talk
- prate
- confabulation
- chaff
- palaver
- deliberation
- natter
- chin-wag
- give-and-take
- gossip
- rap
- round-robin
- French Canadianism
- French canna
- French chalk
- French chestnut
- French Chippendale
- French chop
- French cleaner
- French cleaning
- French clover
- French cocklebur
- French Colombard
- French column
- French combing wool
- French Community
- french congo
- French crown
- French cuff
- french curve
- French disease
- French door
- French doors
- French doughnut
- French drain
- French dressing
- french drip