Definition of: conversation

(kon′vər·sā′shən) noun
1. The speaking together of two or more persons; informal exchange of ideas, information, etc.; colloquy.
2. Intimate association or intercourse.
3. plural Diplomatic intercourse; specifically, an informal international conference on matters to be treated more officially later.
4. Obs. Deportment.
5. Obs. The act or condition of being or living anywhere, as in intimacy.
—criminal conversation Law Unlawful sexual intercourse with a married person; adultery. [<OF <L conversatio, -onis <conversari. See CONVERSE¹.]
—con′·ver·sa′tion·al adjective
—con′ver·sa′tion·al·ly adverb Synonyms: chat, colloquy, communication, communion, confabulation, conference, converse, dialog, discourse, intercourse, parley, talk. Conversation is, etymologically, an interchange of ideas with some other person or persons. Talk may be wholly one–sided. There may be intercourse without conversation, as by looks, signs, etc.; communion is of hearts, with or without words; communication is often by writing, and may be uninvited and unreciprocated. Talk may denote the mere utterance of words with little thought; thus, we say idle talk, empty talk, rather than idle or empty conversation. Discourse is applied chiefly to public addresses. A conference is more formal than a conversation. A dialog may be real and informal, but the word denotes ordinarily an artificial or imaginary conversation, strictly of two persons, but sometimes of more. A colloquy is indefinite as to number, and generally somewhat informal. See INTERCOURSE. Compare BEHAVIOR.