Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

converse

/kənˈvɝs/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.48 in modern English

Syllables: con-verse
IPA: /kənˈvɝs/

13

Scrabble Score

8

Letters

2

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To talk; to engage in conversation.

Formal; Intransitive verb

verb

To keep company; to hold intimate intercourse; to commune.

verb

To have knowledge of something, from long talk or study.

Obsolete

noun

Free verbal interchange of thoughts or views; conversation; chat.

Literary; Uncountable

adj

Opposite; reversed in order or relation; reciprocal.

noun

The opposite or reverse.

noun

Of a proposition or theorem consisting of a statement of the form "If A is true, then B is true", the statement "If B is true, then A is true" which need not be equivalent to the first one.

noun

One of a pair of terms that name or describe a relationship from opposite perspectives; converse antonym; relational antonym.

Example Sentences

"Companions[…] That do converse and waste the time together."
"We had conversed so often on that subject."
"To seek the distant hills, and there converse With nature."
"But to converse with heaven — This is not easy."
"Conversing with the world, we use the world's fashions."
"according as the objects they converse with afford greater or less variety"

Etymology

From Old French converser, from Latin conversor (“live, have dealings with”).

Origin

Source language: Old French

Word Breakdown

Root: converser, conversor, conversus

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /kənˈvɝs/
British English: /kənˈvɜːs/

Usage

Inflected Forms

converses (present, singular) conversing (participle, present) conversed (participle, past) conversed (past) converses (plural)

Derived Forms

conversable conversancy conversation converseness conversible conversely

Phrases

Converse County

Frequently Paired Words

discuss

Synonyms

conversate convo discourse transpose chat common confab confabulate converse jaw parley treat

Rhymes With

worse universe nurse reverse diverse verse curse purse public purse traverse disperse transverse

Questions

How do you pronounce converse?: The recorded pronunciation is /kənˈvɝs/.
What does converse mean?: To talk; to engage in conversation.
Where does converse come from?: It is traced to Old French.

How to pronounce converse

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “converse”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/kənˈvɝs/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “converse”.
Repeat and practice — Say “converse” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.