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This must be an easy one, but I can only think of specialized alternatives at the moment: what do you call someone you are about to have a meeting with? Meetee?

In more specific contexts client, friend, date would all work, but they convey more than the fact that you will just be meeting. I've heard appointment used in that sense (as in "your next appointment is waiting outside", but the ambiguity (appointment being a lose synonym for meeting) is not really satisfactory.

Ideas?

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  • On second thought, perhaps "other party" would do? Sounds a bit formal though.
    – Clément
    Mar 11, 2014 at 22:37
  • Clément, so does “meet with”. Meet without with, would be sufficient.
    – Tristan r
    Mar 11, 2014 at 22:46
  • Clément, saying or writing how do you call is incorrect. You should see the discussion at this link english.stackexchange.com/questions/150325/…
    – Tristan r
    Mar 11, 2014 at 22:49
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    Please note that naming is off-topic on ELU, precisely because names have various constraints and special rules that do not apply to ordinary English.
    – Bradd Szonye
    Mar 12, 2014 at 0:52
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    Noting what @Bradd says, I think this is Off Topic. But I'd still like to know if OP's date is just another variation on the "personified" usage for appointment. (Maybe I'm just a romantic, but I originally assumed it was more the "candlelit dinner, possible prelude to sex" kind of date! :)
    – FumbleFingers
    Mar 12, 2014 at 2:20

5 Answers 5

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For larger meetings, I have seen invitees and attendees used.

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  • Attendee sounds nice indeed, although it does suggest a large meeting.
    – Clément
    Mar 12, 2014 at 0:26
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    I think invitee and attendees are a matter of what point in time you are describing them. They can be an invitee before being an attendee. And, they can be both once they've attended.
    – David M
    Mar 12, 2014 at 0:53
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    I think this is the terminology that apps like Google Calendar use when they need a word for it.
    – Bradd Szonye
    Mar 12, 2014 at 5:33
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I think Conferee might work.

Also, you could use participant, visitor, or caller, though participant implies they are already in the meeting, rather than someone you will be meeting with, and the other two imply the meeting will happen at your location.

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    Isn't conferee specific to conferences? Pretty word though
    – Clément
    Mar 12, 2014 at 0:41
  • @Clément - I'm not sure. I think it's someone you are conferring with, but I don't know if that always implies a conference, or if a conference is just a place where people formally confer. I love language - it's such a fun mess =o)
    – Eli
    Mar 12, 2014 at 16:46
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The usual evasion is to just call them "my 3pm Meeting" and avoid giving out too much information.

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  • That's nice, I didn't know meeting could be used in the same way as appointment.
    – Clément
    Mar 12, 2014 at 14:52
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If someone is coming to see you there will quite obviously be a 'meeting'. But why not refer to them as your 'visitor'. Or more simply still 'I'm afraid I shall not be available because I have someone coming to see me at 3.00pm' - or 'I am meeting with someone at 3.00pm'.

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  • I should probably have given a bit more context. I do need a word, not an alternate phrasing. It's in a programming context; I have a "Meeting" class with a field that describes the person that the user is meeting. I'm looking for a name for that field.
    – Clément
    Mar 12, 2014 at 0:24
  • Regarding "visitor", doesn't that suggest that they are coming? If I have a meeting with my lawyer at 2PM, I can't really call them my "visitor", right?
    – Clément
    Mar 12, 2014 at 14:53
  • 'I have an appointment in town'.
    – WS2
    Mar 12, 2014 at 20:34
  • Sure; I was curious whether there was a single word for this though. The other answers are fine.
    – Clément
    Mar 12, 2014 at 23:32
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I think guest fits the bill on all of these and has little connotation.

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    Doesn't that suggest that the guest is coming to your office/place? If you meet them in a neutral place (say a cafe), are they your guest? "guess" seems to suggest that you are inviting them, is that incorrect?
    – Clément
    Mar 12, 2014 at 0:25
  • @Clément if you invite business associates for dinner, regardless of the venue, they are still your guests.
    – Mari-Lou A
    Mar 12, 2014 at 6:29
  • @Mari-LouA: You might also just meet them for dinner, and everyone pays for themselves. You don't need to be paying for them, and that's what guest seems to suggest to me.
    – Clément
    Mar 12, 2014 at 14:48

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