Meetings Vocabulary
word
part of speech
meaning
example sentence
absent
adj
not present
The vice president is absent due to
unforeseen circumstances.
accomplish
verb
succeed in doing
We have a lot to accomplish today, so let's
begin.
address
verb
deal with; speak on
I hope we do not have to address this matter
again in the future.
adjourn
verb
close a meeting
If there are no further comments, we
will adjourn the meeting here.
agenda
noun
list of objectives to cover in a meeting
Please forward the agenda to anyone who is
speaking at the meeting.
AGM
noun(abbr.)
Annual (yearly) General Meeting
We always vote for a new chairperson at
the AGM.
allocate
verb
assign roles/tasks to certain people
I forgot to allocate someone to bring
refreshments.
AOB
noun(abbr.)
Any Other Business (unspecified item
on agenda)
The last item on the agenda is AOB.
apologies
noun
item on agenda announcing people
who are absent; apologies for
Everyone is present today, so we can skip
the apologies.
word
part of speech
meaning
example sentence
absence
ballot
noun
a type of vote, usually in writing and
usually secret
Please fold your ballot in half before you place
it in the box.
board of
directors
noun
group of elected members of an
organization/company who meet to
make decisions
The board of directors meets once a month
to discuss the budget.
boardroom
noun
a large meeting room, often has one
long table and many chairs
The boardroom is reserved for a managers'
meeting, so we'll have to meet in the lounge.
brainstorm
verb
thinking to gather ideas
Let's take a few minutes and brainstormsome
ways that we can cut costs.
casting vote
noun
deciding vote (usually by the
chairman) when the votes are
otherwise equal
The role of treasurer was decided based on the
chairman's casting vote.
chairperson/
chair
noun
the person who leads or presides at a
meeting
As chair, it is my pleasure to introduce to you,
Mr. Allan Davis.
clarification/
verification
noun
explanation/proof that something is
true/understood
Before we address this matter, I'll need
some clarification as to who was involved.
closing
remarks
noun
last thoughts spoken in a meeting (i.e.
reminders, thank yous)
I just have a few closing remarks and then
you will all be free to go.
word
part of speech
meaning
example sentence
collaborate
verb
work together as a pair/group
The board fell apart because the members had
difficulty collaborating.
commence
verb
begin
We will commence as soon as the last person
signs the attendance sheet.
comment
verb or noun
express one's opinions or thoughts
If you have a comment, please raise your
hand rather than speak out.
conference
noun
formal meeting for discussion, esp. a
regular one held by an organisation
Before the conference there will be a private
meeting for board members only.
conference
call
noun
telephone meeting between three or
more people in different locations
Please make sure I have no interruptions while
I'm on the conference call.
confidential
adjective
private; not to be shared
Any financial information shared during this
meeting should be kept confidential.
consensus
noun
general agreement
If we cannot come to a consensus by the end
of the meeting we will put it to a vote.
deadline
noun
due date for completion
The deadline for buying tickets to the
conference is May 25th.
designate
verb
assign
If no one volunteers to take the minutes I will
be forced to designate someone.
formality
a procedure (often unnecessary) that
Everyone knows who is going to be the next
word
part of speech
meaning
example sentence
noun
has to be followed due to a rule
vice president, so this vote is really just
a formality.
grievance
noun
complaint
The first item on the agenda relates to
a grievance reported by the interns.
guest speaker
noun
person who joins the group in order to
share information or deliver a speech
I am delighted to welcome our guest
speaker Holly, who is going to be offering
some sales pitch tips.
implement
verb
make something happen; follow
through
It's not a question of whether or not we're going
to use this idea, it's whether or not we know
how to implement it.
mandatory
adjective
required
It is mandatory that all supervisors attend
Friday's meeting.
minutes
noun
a written record of everything said
at a meeting
Before we begin with today's meeting, let's
quickly review the minutes from last month.
motion
noun
a suggestion put to a vote
The motion to extend store hours has been
passed.
objectives
noun
goals to accomplish
I'm pleased that we were able to cover all of
the objectives today within the designated time.
opening
remarks
noun
chairperson or leader's first words
at a meeting (i.e. welcome,
introductions)
As I mentioned in my opening remarks, we
have to clear this room before the end of the
hour.
overhead
projector
noun
machine with a special light that
projects a document onto a screen
or wall so that all can see
I'm going to put a pie chart on the overhead
projector so that everyone can visualize how
our profits have declined.
participant
noun
person who attends and joins in on
an event
Can I have a show of hands of all of those who
were participants in last year's conference?
proxy vote
noun
a vote cast by one person for or in
place of another
There must have been one proxy votebecause I
count twelve ballots but only eleven attendees.
punctual
adjective
on time (not late)
Firstly, I want to thank you all for
being punctual despite this early meeting.
recommend
verb
suggest
I recommend that you sit closer to the front if
you have trouble hearing.
show of hands
noun
raised hands to express an opinion
in a vote
From the show of hands it appears that
everyone is in favour of taking a short break.
