videoconferencing
Meaning
The holding of a conference or meeting between people in different locations by means of transmitted audio and video signals.
Structure
Usage
Many companies have adopted regular videoconferencing to connect global teams.
The job interview was conducted via videoconferencing software.
The university offers courses through live videoconferencing with professors abroad.
Etymology
The word "videoconferencing" is a modern compound, directly constructed from established English morphemes to describe a new technological capability. The first element, "video," originates from the Latin verb vidēre, meaning "to see," and entered English to denote visual broadcast technology. The second element, "conferencing," derives from the Latin conferre, meaning "to bring together" or "to compare," which evolved to mean a formal meeting for discussion. Thus, the term's literal logic is "the process (-encing) of bringing people together (confer-) for a meeting using sight (video-)," perfectly capturing the essence of a meeting conducted via live audio-visual transmission.
Analysis
- video: From Latin vidēre (to see). In English, it functions as a combining form meaning "relating to the transmission or reception of visual images." - confer: From Latin conferre (to bring together, compare). In English, it functions as a root meaning "to consult together, discuss." - encing: From Latin -entia (denoting a quality or state) via Old French -ance. In English, it functions as a noun suffix forming verbal nouns denoting an action or process.