a round table conference
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A conference be- tween political parties in which each has equal authority, and at which it is agreed that the questions in dispute shall be settled amicably
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “a round table conference” mean?
A conference be- tween political parties in which each has equal authority, and at which it is agreed that the questions in dispute shall be settled amicably
Is “a round table conference” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.