conferees

Conferee (plural conferees) is a person who participates in or attends a conference, meeting, or formal deliberation. In many organizational contexts, conferees are individuals invited to confer on a specific issue, contribute expertise, or participate in decision-making processes. The term derives from Latin conferre, meaning “to bring together,” with the suffix -ee indicating the recipient or participant. In common usage, conferees may be attendees, speakers, or members of a committee convened for the event.

In legislative contexts, especially in the United States, conferees are members appointed to a conference committee charged with resolving differences between two versions of a bill. Conferees are typically selected by party leaders and may include members with relevant subject-matter knowledge. They negotiate a conference report that reconciles the two versions. The resulting agreement is submitted to both chambers for a vote; the conferees themselves do not enact law, but their negotiations shape the final text. The process is often accompanied by staff support, and outcomes can be influenced by political considerations.

In other settings, conferees function as attendees or participants at conferences who contribute to the proceedings through discussion, questions, or presentations. Some organizations use the term to denote participants who receive formal recognition, such as access to restricted sessions, materials, or networking opportunities. Usage varies by country and institution, and in many contexts the terms attendee or delegate are more common.

Overall, conferees are defined by their role in bringing together different perspectives to confer, negotiate, or deliberate on matters of shared concern.