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.
Also called online forum, Internet forum, Web forum. message board.
5.
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)

message board

noun
1.
a website or section of a website that is used for public discussion of a specific topic and on which users can submit or read messages:
You should post your questions on a parenting message board and get support from other parents.
2.
an online discussion group that is maintained on such a website:
To participate in the message board, you must be a registered user.
Also called discussion board, forum.
Examples from the web for forums
  • But if your purpose is to meet other people who share your enthusiasm then the chat forums are great.
  • The innovative forums were shut down over a wave of violent protests, although they were ultimately re-opened.
  • Anyway lots of forums share revenue with their users.
  • He spams technology news forums with wild claims of his research, yet none of it exists.
  • The mayors' conference was one of the few candidate forums that included him.
  • Think of all those ruined forums, temples, marketplaces.
  • The growth of carder forums allowed thieves around the world to purchase data, equipment, and services.
  • There's also a social side: gamers can chat on online forums, work in groups to solve puzzles and share solutions on a wiki.
  • There's some laughs to be had at the official movie site forums, too.
  • One of the benefits of these forums is that once you get past the garbage, there are often well thought out points and responses.
British Dictionary definitions for forums

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

message board

noun
1.
an internet discussion forum
Contemporary definitions for forums
noun

an Internet-based forum for an interest group; also called bulletin board , discussion board , interactive message board

Examples

Message boards usually offer chat, email, and ability to share documents.

Word Origin and History for forums

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.