seminar

Definition

An academic gathering where advanced students present research and pretend to understand each other's obscure topics while a professor nods sagely. In business contexts, it's often a thinly veiled sales pitch disguised as education, usually held at a hotel conference room with stale coffee. The academic version involves more intellectual posturing; the corporate version involves more networking and name tag anxiety.

Example Usage

I'm presenting my dissertation research at the graduate seminar next week, which means six people will attend and three will actually be awake.

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