A Conference is a gathering of many people who talk about a specific subject or topic. People meet to confer about a theme. All the people who attend have a common interest. It is not the same as a convention, which is typically much bigger and consists of delegates who represent various groups.
When we use the term in sports, it refers to a division or league of teams or clubs. In other words, an association of teams that organizes matches for league members.
This article focuses on the term when it refers to a large meeting of people who have gathered to discuss a topic.
Conference vs. meeting
Both terms refer to events in which people gather to discuss a specific subject. The difference between the two is in its size and how formal or informal it is.
Conferences are much larger and more formal than meetings. A department head can suddenly say: “I want to have a meeting about this in 20 minutes.” It is possible to call a meeting without planning ahead. Conferences are always planned well in advance.
In most cases, we do not hold conferences in-house, but rather in large centers or hotels. Meetings, on the other hand, are nearly always in-house or possibly in a nearby cafe.
“Generally speaking, meetings and conferences are all events where people get together to consider a particular subject; usually the difference is one of scale. Meetings can be more informal, usually involve just a few people and can often be held in-house.”