Also 7–9 -ion. Pl. -ia (rarely -iums). [a. L. symposium, ad. Gr. συμπόσιον, f. συμπότης fellow-drinker (cf. συμπίνειν to drink together), f. σύν SYM- + πότης drinker (cf. πότιμος drinkable, ποτών drink).]
1. A drinking-party; a convivial meeting for drinking, conversation, and intellectual entertainment: properly among the ancient Greeks, hence generally.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 9, ¶ 11. The rules of a Symposium in an ancient Greek author.
1748. Chesterf., Lett. to Son, 29 Oct. I take it for granted, that … your Symposion [is] intended more to promote conversation than drinking.
1781. Warton, Hist. Eng. Poetry, xliv. IV. 18. It appears that the company dined so very late [in 1609], as at half an hour after eleven in the morning; and that it was the fashion to ride to this polite symposium on a Spanish jennet.
1787. Hawkins, Life of Johnson, 360. Our symposium at the King’s head broke up.
1816. Scott, Antiq., vi. You are welcome to my symposion.
1828. D’Israeli, Chas. I., I. viii. 270. His symposia attracted a closer observation from the freedom of his conversation.
1866. Felton, Greece Anc. & Mod., I. II. iv. 336. If he [sc. Socrates] went to a symposium, he was likely to stay all night.
b. An account of such a meeting or the conversation at it; spec. the title of one of Plato’s dialogues.
a. 1586. Sidney, Apol. Poetry (Arb.), 57. One … that should bid one read Phædrus, or Symposium in Plato.
1603. Holland, Plutarch’s Mor., 689. Epicurus … in his Symposium or banquet, hath discussed the question.
1776. Mickle, trans. Camoens’ Lusiad, Introd. p. cxxxv., note. The passage stands in the Symposion of that author [sc. Plato] as follows.
2. transf. A meeting or conference for discussion of some subject; hence, a collection of opinions delivered, or a series of articles contributed, by a number of persons on some special topic.
1784. (title) Symposia; or, Table Talk in the month of September, 1784, being a rhapsodical hodge-podge.
1869. Ticknor, in Hillard, Life, etc. (1876), I. i. 12. Alexander and Edward Everett, Edward T. Channing, Nathan Hale, William Powell Mason, and Jacob Bigelow constituted this symposium.
1877. Shields, Final Philos., 57. Foulke Greville seems to have held a symposium for the liberal discussion of the Copernican system.
1882. Glasgow News, No. 2607, 2/3. A symposium is commenced in the Clerical World this week on the question ‘Within what limits are “Schools of Thought” desirable in a religious community?’
3. Comb.
1856. R. A. Vaughan, Mystics (1860), II. 115. Such symposium-loving scholars.
