Vocabulary

Word
Part of speech

Meaning

Example Sentence

absent
adj

not present

The vice president is absent due to unforeseen circumstances.

accomplish
verb

suceed in doing

We have a lot to accomplish today, so let's begin.

address
verb

deal with; speak on

I hope we do not have to address this matter again in the future.

adjourn
verb

close a meeting

If there are no further comments, we will adjourn the meeting here.

agenda
noun

list of objectives to cover in a meeting

Please forward the agenda to anyone who is speaking at the meeting.

AGM
noun(abbr.)

Annual (yearly) General Meeting

We always vote for a new chairperson at the AGM.

allocate
verb

assign roles/tasks to certain people

I forgot to allocate someone to bring refreshments.

AOB
noun(abbr.)

Any Other Business (unspecified item on agenda)

The last item on the agenda is AOB.

apologies
noun

item on agenda announcing people who are absent; apologies for absence

Everyone is present today, so we can skip the apologies.

ballot
noun

a type of vote, usually in writing and usually secret

Please fold your ballot in half before you place it in the box.

board of directors
noun

group of elected members of an organization/company who meet to make decisions

The board of directors meets once a month to discuss the budget.

boardroom
noun

a large meeting room, often has one long table and many chairs

The boardroom is reserved for a managers' meeting, so we'll have to meet in the lounge.

brainstorm
verb

thinking to gather ideas

Let's take a few minutes and brainstorm some ways that we can cut costs.

casting vote
noun

deciding vote (usually by the chairman) when the votes are otherwise equal

The role of treasurer was decided based on the chairman's casting vote.

chairperson/chair
noun

the person who leads or presides at a meeting

As chair, it is my pleasure to introduce to you, Mr. Allan Davis.

clarification/verification
noun

explanation/proof that something is true/understood

Before we address this matter, I'll need some clarification as to who was involved.

closing remarks
noun

last thoughts spoken in a meeting (i.e. reminders, thank yous)

I just have a few closing remarks and then you will all be free to go.

collaborate
verb

work together as a pair/group

The board fell apart because the members had difficulty collaborating.

commence
verb

begin

We will commence as soon as the last person signs the attendance sheet.

comment
verb or noun

express one's opinions or thoughts

If you have a comment, please raise your hand rather than speak out.

conference
noun

formal meeting for discussion, esp. a regular one held by an organisation

Before the conference there will be a private meeting for board members only.

conference call
noun

telephone meeting between three or more people in different locations

Please make sure I have no interruptions while I'm on the conference call.

confidential
adjective

private; not to be shared

Any financial information shared during this meeting should be kept confidential.

consensus
noun

general agreement

If we cannot come to a consensus by the end of the meeting we will put it to a vote.

deadline
noun

due date for completion

The deadline for buying tickets to the conference is May 25th.

designate
verb

assign

If no one volunteers to take the minutes I will be forced to designate someone.

formality
noun

a procedure (often unnecessary) that has to be followed due to a rule

Everyone knows who is going to be the next vice president, so this vote is really just a formality.

grievance
noun

complaint

The first item on the agenda relates to a grievance reported by the interns.

guest speaker
noun

person who joins the group in order to share information or deliver a speech

I am delighted to welcome our guest speaker Holly, who is going to be offering some sales pitch tips.

implement
verb

make something happen; follow through

It's not a question of whether or not we're going to use this idea, it's whether or not we know how to implement it.

mandatory
adjective

required

It is mandatory that all supervisors attend Friday's meeting.

minutes
noun

a written record of everything said at a meeting

Before we begin with today's meeting, let's quickly review the minutes from last month.

motion
noun

a suggestion put to a vote

The motion to extend store hours has been passed.

objectives
noun

goals to accomplish

I'm pleased that we were able to cover all of the objectives today within the designated time.

opening remarks
noun

chairperson or leader's first words at a meeting (i.e. welcome, introductions)

As I mentioned in my opening remarks, we have to clear this room before the end of the hour.

overhead projector
noun

machine with a special light that projects a document onto a screen or wall so that all can see

I'm going to put a pie chart on the overhead projector so that everyone can visualize how our profits have declined.

participant
noun

person who attends and joins in on an event

Can I have a show of hands of all of those who were participants in last year's conference?

proxy vote
noun

a vote cast by one person for or in place of another

There must have been one proxy vote because I count twelve ballots but only eleven attendees.

punctual
adjective

on time (not late)

Firstly, I want to thank you all for being punctual despite this early meeting.

recommend
verb

suggest

I recommend that you sit closer to the front if you have trouble hearing.

show of hands
noun

raised hands to express an opinion in a vote

From the show of hands it appears that everyone is in favour of taking a short break.

strategy
noun

plan to make something work

We need to come up with a strategy that will allow us to have meetings less frequently.

unanimous
adj

in complete agreement; united in opinion

The vote was unanimous to cut work hours on Fridays.

vote
verb or noun

to express (the expression of) an opinion in a group by voice or hand etc

We need to vote for a new vice chairperson now that Jerry is retiring.

wrap up
verb

finish

Let's wrap up here so that we can get back to our desks.