confer

verb

Saykuhn-FURUS/kənˈfʌɹ/UK · AUS/kənˈfɜː/

Formsconfers, conferring, conferred

5 meanings of confer

1
verbtransitive
To give someone an honor, right, or power.
Like a teacher giving a gold star to a child who did well.
The king will confer the title of knight on the soldier.
Schools confer diplomas to students who pass all their classes.
Similarafford
Oppositerevoke, withhold, withdraw
Note
2
verbintransitive
To talk with others to share ideas or make a decision.
Like friends putting their heads together to plan a surprise.
The two doctors stepped aside to confer about the patient.
She conferred with her teammates before answering.
Similarconsult, deliberate, talk, huddle
Note
3
verbobsolete
To compare two or more things to see how they are alike or different.
Like holding two photos side by side to spot the differences.
Confer these two old maps and tell me which roads have changed.
The Newe Testament ... Conferred diligently with the Greke, and best approued translations.
1557Here, conferred means compared carefully with other texts.
Note

Less common meanings

4
verbobsoletetransitive
To bring things together into one place and gather them.
Note
5
verbobsolete
To help bring about a result by adding to it.
The closeness and compactness of the parts resting together doth much confer to the strength of the union.
1665, Joseph Glanvill, Scepsis ScientificaHere, confer means help bring about, or add to, the result.
Note

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Origin

It comes from Latin "conferō." English took it through French.