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What's the difference between reunion and meeting?
Aug 29, 2014 6:22 PM
Answers · 5
1
Interesting question, Camilo. :-) A reunion is a meeting after a long time from not seeing someone. For example it is common to have "Family Reunions" where relatives come from far away to share a picnic-style meal with beer and music. Another common type of reunion is a "High School Reunion" or a "College Reunion" where the graduating class of a certain year (the class of 2001 for example) get together and have a party every 10 years and share what has happened in their lives. In a business context, we hardly ever use the word reunion. The correct word for a discussing business with your co-workers or with vendors is meeting.
August 30, 2014
1
I think the answer can be found in the base of word reunion itself. The prefix "re" meaning again and the base "union" from the word unite which means to come together. Reunion means to meet again. It usually happens among groups that are already familiar with each other. Family, school, colleagues, etc. It is usually reserved for groups but can be used for pairs in a much more literal sense. "The couple's reunion had been pending for over 5 years." A meeting is a more general term and is used to refer to reunions or people getting together for the first time. It can be used for anything from an interview to a general assembly.
August 29, 2014
In U.S. usage, "reunion" is not a synonym for "meeting." A "reunion" has a very specific meaning, and is typically used in these three contexts: family reunion, high school reunion, and college reunion. A reunion is a large organized gathering of dozens to hundreds of people, usually people who have been together at some time in the past, and often as a regular anniversary event. For example, Dear Classmates The 25th Reunion of the St. Ruan High School Class of 1989 will be held October 25th and 26th at the Roysburg Country Club. The official hotel will be the Roysburg Best Western, with a special room rate for those who book before September 25th. The Saturday event will feature a cocktail hour and light dinner, while the Sunday event will include a full dinner and ballroom dance to 1980s music, with Rob Johnson of the Class of 1989 as DJ.
August 30, 2014
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