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Synonyms

forum

American  
[fawr-uhm] / ˈfɔr əm /

noun

plural

forums, fora
  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,.  Also called internet forum,.  Also called web forummessage board.

  5. the Forum, the forum in the ancient city of Rome.


forum 1 British  
/ ˈfɔːrəm /

noun

  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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Forum 2 British  
/ rəʊˈmɑːnəm /

noun

  1. the main forum of ancient Rome, situated between the Capitoline and the Palatine Hills

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

Plural word for forum The plural form of forum can be either forums or fora. Forums is more widely used. The plurals of several other singular words that end in -um are formed in this way, including gum/gums, possum/possums, or geranium/geraniums. Irregular plurals that are formed like fora, such as curriculum/curricula and memorandum/memoranda, derive directly from their original pluralization in Latin. However, the standard English plural -s ending is often also acceptable for these terms, as in curriculums and memorandums.

Etymology

Origin of forum

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Latin: “marketplace, public place,” akin to forīs, forās “outside,” foris door

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

No senior administration officials have appeared on the flagship public affairs programs that, for all their flaws, have long served as a forum for democratic accountability.

From Salon

Over the decades, Boys' Love spread through online forums as the internet bloomed, gaining a fiercely loyal fanbase across East and South East Asia, often conservative cultures where queer love still carries stigma.

From BBC

The forum ordered an independent review into Brende over his ties to the disgraced financier following the release of Epstein files by the US Department of Justice.

From BBC

The prime minister was asked at a forum the previous day to give one-word reactions to various personalities.

From Barron's

In one forum, Youth Against Corruption, members planned the protest outside parliament on 8 September.

From BBC