session

session — noun

1. An official meeting of a government body, court, or other organization, during w

1.nounB2
Definition

An official meeting of a government body, court, or other organization, during which members discuss and decide on business matters.

Example

The parliamentary session lasted until midnight as lawmakers debated the new tax bill.

collocation: parliamentary session / court session

Senator Mark attended every session of the health committee this year.

Common collocations
  • parliamentary session
  • court session
  • legislative session
  • executive session
  • in session
  • out of session
  • opening session
  • closing session
Synonyms
  • sitting

    refers specifically to the time a court or parliament is actively meeting, often for a single day's proceedings

  • assembly

    broader term for a group of people gathered for a purpose; can be less formal

  • plenary

    a full meeting of all members, not committees; more technical

Antonyms
  • adjournment

    the period when a meeting is paused or ended

Grammar Patterns

in session

[adjective] session

session of [body]

Usage Note

Often used with 'in' — 'in session' indicates that the meeting is currently happening. 'Out of session' means the body is not meeting.

Common Mistakes

The meeting is in session' (redundant when 'meeting' already implies gathering).
Parliament is in session until July.
Use 'in session' for official bodies, not casual meetings.

2. A stretch of time that you spend on one particular activity, such as exercise, s

2.nounA2
Definition

A stretch of time that you spend on one particular activity, such as exercise, study, or therapy.

Example

Layla has her first physiotherapy session this afternoon after the accident.

collocation: physiotherapy session / training session / therapy session

Christopher led a two-hour practice session with the junior football team.

Common collocations
  • training session
  • therapy session
  • practice session
  • photo session
  • Q&A session
  • recording session
  • workout session
  • tutoring session
Synonyms
  • spell

    emphasizes duration rather than purpose; more informal (a spell of bad weather)

  • stint

    suggests a bounded period of work or duty (a stint in the army)

  • meeting

    implies people gathering to talk, not doing an activity together

Grammar Patterns

[adjective] session

session with [person]

session of [activity]

Usage Note

Commonly paired with an adjective or noun specifying the activity, such as training session, therapy session, photo session, Q&A session.

Common Mistakes

I have a session at work' (too vague).
I have a training session at the gym at six.
Specify the kind of session.

3. A social event where a group of people consume large amounts of alcoholic drinks

3.nounB2
Definition

A social event where a group of people consume large amounts of alcoholic drinks.

Example

After exams, the students went to the pub for a heavy drinking session.

informal British: 'heavy session' for excessive drinking

Imran regretted the long drinking session the night before his job interview.

Common collocations
  • drinking session
  • heavy session
  • all-night session
  • boozy session
Synonyms
  • binge

    stronger negative connotation; implies loss of control and health risk

  • pub crawl

    specific to visiting multiple bars in one night, rather than staying in one place

Grammar Patterns

[adjective] + session

drinking session

Usage Note

Most common in informal British English. 'A heavy session' implies a large amount of alcohol. 'All-night session' means drinking through the night.

Common Mistakes

We had a drinking session of water' (only for alcohol).
We had a drinking session after the match.
This sense applies only to alcohol consumption.

4. The period during which you are actively using a computer program, website, or o

4.nounB1
Definition

The period during which you are actively using a computer program, website, or online service, from logging in to logging out.

Example

The banking website logs you out automatically after ten minutes of inactivity to protect your account.

common phrase: user session / browsing session

Sora saved all his work before the computer session timed out.

Common collocations
  • browsing session
  • user session
  • login session
  • session data
  • session timeout
  • session cookie
  • session ID
Synonyms
  • login period

    less technical; refers specifically to time spent logged into a system

  • connection

    broader term; can refer to network link rather than user activity

Grammar Patterns

browsing session

user session

login session

Usage Note

Technical term in computing. A session is created when a user logs in and ends when they log out or after a period of inactivity (timeout). Website cookies often track session data.

Common Mistakes

I closed my session of the computer' (unnatural).
I ended my browsing session before shutting down the laptop.
'End a session,' not 'close a session.'

5. One of the blocks of time that make up the school calendar, such as the autumn,

5.nounB1
Definition

One of the blocks of time that make up the school calendar, such as the autumn, spring, or summer session.

Example

Adina registered for five courses in the upcoming spring session.

collocation: spring session / summer session / autumn session

Summer session classes are shorter but more intensive than regular semesters.

Common collocations
  • academic session
  • spring session
  • summer session
  • autumn session
  • winter session
  • school session
Synonyms
  • term

    more common in British English for university divisions (Michaelmas term, Hilary term)

  • semester

    specifically a half-year division, most common in US universities

  • quarter

    a three-month division, used in some US universities

Grammar Patterns

[season] session

summer session

academic session

Usage Note

More common in British and Australian English for a university division of the year. In the US, 'semester' or 'quarter' is more frequent. 'Summer session' is a common shorter term between regular academic years.

Common Mistakes

I have classes in the first session of the day' (use 'period' for daily schedule).
The first session starts in September.
Academic session refers to parts of the year, not daily class periods.

6. An informal event where musicians play together, especially jazz or folk music,

6.nounB1
Definition

An informal event where musicians play together, especially jazz or folk music, without a planned program or set list.

Example

Every Friday night, local musicians gather at the café for a jam session.

compound noun: 'jam session' for informal music gathering

Folake brought her guitar to the impromptu session in the city park.

Common collocations
  • jam session
  • jazz session
  • impromptu session
  • music session
  • recording session
Synonyms
  • jam

    shortened form of 'jam session'; used informally among musicians (let's have a jam)

  • gig

    a paid performance for an audience, not an informal gathering

Grammar Patterns

jam session

jazz session

Usage Note

'Jam session' is the most common form of this sense. Participants typically improvise and take turns playing solos. These sessions are not ticketed events.

Common Mistakes

We went to a session by the local orchestra' (an orchestra concert is not a session).
We joined a jam session at the local pub.
A session is informal and participatory, not a scheduled performance.

session — adjective

Word family

  • sessional
    adjectiveC1
  • sessionally
    adverbC2
  • sessionable
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

Session, meeting, spell, and stint all refer to periods of time or gatherings involving an activity, but they differ in structure and context. A session suggests a contained, often recurring block of time devoted to one specific activity, such as a gym session, therapy session, or practice session. A meeting implies people coming together to discuss matters — it is inherently social or work-oriented. A spell emphasizes the passing of time without specifying purpose, as in a spell of rainy weather or a dizzy spell. A stint highlights a bounded period of work or duty, often with effort involved, like a stint in the army or a stint in sales. For example, 'She had a two-hour training session at the gym' suggests a planned workout; 'He did a six-month stint in customer service' suggests a temporary work assignment that required effort.

session ↗meeting ↗spellstint

Common collocations

Nouns

  • session time
  • session length
  • session schedule
  • session fee

Phrases

  • in full session
  • split into sessions
  • session by session

Prepositions

  • in session
  • out of session
  • session with
  • session of
  • session on

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

The word 'session' entered English in the late 1300s from Old French 'session' (sitting), which came from Latin 'sessio' (a sitting, a seat), from the verb 'sedēre' (to sit). The core idea is 'a sitting' — a period when people sit together for a purpose. The term was first used for formal meetings of courts and governing bodies (where members sit together), then extended to any period devoted to an activity (14th century), and later to specific contexts like computing (1960s) and music (jam session, 1930s).