Forum

UK: 'forum', 'Forum': /ˈfɔːrəm/

US: /ˈfɔrəm/

US: (fôr′əm, fōr′əm)

Inflections of 'forum' (n):

forums

npl

fora

npl

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Forum, Forum Romanum / rəʊˈmɑːnəm/ noun

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

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

fo•rum /ˈfɔrəm/   n. [countable] , pl. fo•rums, fo•ra 

/ˈfɔrə/.  
1. Ancient History, Antiquity the marketplace or public square of an ancient Roman city.
2. • a meeting place for or a means through which discussion of matters of public interest can be conducted:
     The magazine is a forum for various political views.
   • a public meeting or assembly for such discussion.
   • a discussion of a public issue by a select group.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

fo•rum  (fôr′əm, fōr′əm), n., pl. fo•rums, fo•ra 

(fôr′ə, fōr′ə). 
1. Ancient History, Antiquity 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. Ancient History, Antiquity the Forum, the forum in the ancient city of Rome.

• Latin: marketplace, public place, akin to forīs, forās outside, foris door
• late Middle English 1425–75

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

forum / ˈfɔːrəm/ noun ( -rums, -ra / -rə/)

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. an area of a website on which subscribers may discuss matters of mutual interest
4. a public meeting place for open discussion
5. a court; tribunal
6. (in South Africa) a pressure group of leaders or representatives, esp Black leaders or representatives
7. (in ancient Italy) an open space, usually rectangular in shape, serving as a city's marketplace and centre of public business

Etymology: 15th Century: from Latin: public place; related to Latin foris outside