conversation
UK[ˌkɒnvəˈseɪʃn]US[ˌkɑːnvərˈseɪʃn]
n
an informal talk involving a small group of people or only two; the activity of talking in this way
n
a discussion or exchange of ideas on a particular subject, often a serious one
Morpheme Breakdown
con
vers
ation
con
together
vers
turn
ation
noun suffix
Etymology
The word "conversation" originates from the Latin conversationem, meaning "the act of living with, frequenting, or having dealings with others." This noun was built upon the verb conversari, which meant "to live with, keep company with," and was itself a frequentative form of convertere, "to turn about, turn towards." The core root vertere (to turn) is of Proto-Indo-European origin, from wert- meaning "to turn, to wind." Thus, the literal sense of "turning together" evolved metaphorically into the idea of social interaction and engagement with others, eventually narrowing to its modern meaning focused specifically on the exchange of spoken words.
Analysis
Structure: con (together) + vers (turn) + ation (noun suffix)
- con: Latin prefix meaning "together, with".
- vers: A substring from the Latin root versare (to turn often, to occupy oneself) and vertere (to turn).
- ation: A noun-forming suffix of Latin origin indicating an action or process.
Examples
I had a long conversation with my friend about our future plans.
The book is written in the style of a casual conversation.
The conference aims to start a global conversation on climate change.