A videoconference is a meeting where people in different locations see and talk to each other using cameras and computers or phones. Instead of everyone gathering in the same room, each person appears on a screen, and everyone can see and hear each other in real time.

During a videoconference, you might see a grid of faces on your screen, each person in their own home, office, or classroom. A teacher might hold a videoconference with students learning from home, or a doctor might videoconference with a patient who lives far away. Companies use videoconferencing so employees in different cities can work together without traveling.

The technology combines video (the moving picture of each person) and audio (their voice) with conferencing (meeting together). Before videoconferencing became common, people could only talk on the phone without seeing each other, or they had to travel long distances for face-to-face meetings.

The verb form is videoconference: “We'll videoconference with the other school on Friday.” Some people shorten it to video call or use brand names like Zoom or FaceTime, though technically those are specific platforms for videoconferencing. Videoconferencing makes it possible to maintain relationships, conduct business, and learn from people anywhere in the world without leaving your desk.