forum

[fawr-uh m, fohr-uh m] /ˈfɔr əm, ˈfoʊr əm/
noun, plural forums, fora
[fawr-uh, fohr-uh] /ˈfɔr ə, ˈfoʊr ə/ (Show IPA)
1.
the marketplace or public square of an ancient Roman city, the center of judicial and business affairs and a place of assembly for the people.
2.
a court or tribunal:
the forum of public opinion.
3.
an assembly, meeting place, television program, etc., for the discussion of questions of public interest.
4.
the Forum, the forum in the ancient city of Rome.
Origin
1425-75; late Middle English < Latin: marketplace, public place, akin to forīs, forās outside, foris door
Can be confused
form, forum (see synonym study at form)
Examples from the web for forum
  • The forum has been too much taken over to hysterics, paranoids, and boodlers on all sides.
  • It's a growing symptom of a deeper social problem that is better discussed in another forum.
  • Read our accompanying essay and add your thoughts to our forum.
  • They see social reform as the product of deals made in a central forum among diverse pressure groups.
  • The forum would have both near-term and long-term objectives.
  • Some organizers fear it will deteriorate further without their central forum.
  • They did not get my name from this discussion forum.
  • What thoughtful responses, reminiscent of forum posts of old.
  • Sarcasm, irony, even nuanced arguments etc do not translate well to this kind of forum.
  • It's also a lively forum for new ideas and a commemoration of the vitality of the art community.
British Dictionary definitions for forum

forum

/ˈfɔːrəm/
noun (pl) -rums, -ra (-rə)
1.
a meeting or assembly for the open discussion of subjects of public interest
2.
a medium for open discussion, such as a magazine
3.
a public meeting place for open discussion
4.
a court; tribunal
5.
(in South Africa) a pressure group of leaders or representatives, esp Black leaders or representatives
6.
(in ancient Italy) an open space, usually rectangular in shape, serving as a city's marketplace and centre of public business
Word Origin
C15: from Latin: public place; related to Latin foris outside

Forum

/rəʊˈmɑːnəm/
noun
1.
the Forum, the main forum of ancient Rome, situated between the Capitoline and the Palatine Hills
Word Origin and History for forum
n.

mid-15c., "place of assembly in ancient Rome," from Latin forum "marketplace, open space, public place," apparently akin to foris, foras "out of doors, outside," from PIE root *dhwer- (see door). Sense of "assembly, place for public discussion" first recorded 1680s.

forum in Technology

messaging
(Plural "fora" or "forums") Any discussion group accessible through a dial-in BBS (e.g. GEnie, CI$), a mailing list, or a Usenet newsgroup (see network, the). A forum functions much like a bulletin board; users submit postings for all to read and discussion ensues.
Contrast real-time chat or point-to-point personal e-mail.
[Jargon File]
(1998-01-18)