verb
Uncommon
confer
kuhn-FUR
Confer (verb) means to talk something over with others; to discuss and seek advice. Example: “The lawyers conferred before entering the courtroom.”
verb
1
To talk something over with others; to discuss and seek advice.
"The lawyers conferred before entering the courtroom."
"She conferred with her doctor about the test results."
2
To formally give or grant something, such as a title, honor, or right.
"The university conferred an honorary degree on the retiring professor."
"Citizenship confers certain legal rights."
How to use confer
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo discuss something with others, or to formally give someone a title, degree, or right.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "infer" (to work out from evidence) or "refer" (to point to or mention).
Common pairings
confer with colleagues
confer a degree
confer a title
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- confers
- Past tense
- conferred
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Citizenship _____ certain legal rights.
Etymology
From Latin cōnferō, "to bring together" — from con- ("together") + ferō ("to carry"). A doublet of "collate."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “confer” mean?
The word “confer” means to talk something over with others; to discuss and seek advice. In plain terms, to discuss something with others, or to formally give someone a title, degree, or right.
How do you pronounce “confer”?
“Confer” is pronounced kuhn-FUR (/kənˈfʌɹ/ in IPA).
How do you use “confer” in a sentence?
Here is “confer” used in a sentence: “The lawyers conferred before entering the courtroom.”
What part of speech is “confer”?
“Confer” is a verb.
Where does the word “confer” come from?
The word “confer” comes from Latin. From Latin cōnferō, "to bring together" — from con- ("together") + ferō ("to carry"). A doublet of "collate.".
Is “confer” a common word?
“Confer” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “confer” have?
“Confer” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to talk something over with others; to discuss and seek advice.
