Conférait

Conférait is a conjugated form of the French verb conférer. In its imperfect indicative usage, conférait corresponds to “he/she/it was conferring” or “he/she/it used to confer.” The verb conférer itself means to confer or bestow something, or to discuss or consult with someone in the sense of “to confer with.”

The primary senses of conférer are twofold. First, to grant or bestow an attribute, honor, right, title, or power on someone or something, as in conférer un titre, conférer des droits, or conférer des responsabilités. Second, to consult or discuss with someone, often expressed as conférer avec quelqu’un, indicating a deliberation or coordination with others. In legal or formal language, the sense of bestowing is more common, while the sense of consultation appears in administrative or diplomatic writing.

Usage notes and nuances. Conférer is a formal or literary term and is frequent in official texts, jurisprudence, academic writing, and historical narratives. In everyday speech, more common verbs such as attribuer, accorder, or octroyer are often used for granting, while parler de conférer avec quelqu’un is typically found in formal contexts. The adjective or past participle forms relate to the same verb: conféré (conféré) as in un droit conféré; conférant describes the act in progress, though less common.

Examples:

- Le conseil conférait le prix au lauréat.

- Le dirigeant conférait avec ses conseillers avant de prendre une décision.

- Les pouvoirs conférés par la constitution restent en vigueur.

See also: conférer, conférer avec, conféré.