'Confer' is Latin for 'carry together' — it split into 'bestow' (carry to) and 'discuss' (bring ideas together).
To grant or bestow a title, degree, benefit, or right; to have discussions, exchange opinions.
From Latin 'conferre' (to bring together, to compare, to bestow, to contribute, to discuss), from 'con-' (together, with) + 'ferre' (to bear, to carry, to bring), from PIE *bher- (to carry, to bear, to bring forth). The word contains two distinct senses that both flow from 'carrying together': to confer with someone is to bring ideas together for discussion; to confer something upon someone is to carry a gift or honour to them. PIE *bher- is among the most prolific roots in English: 'bear' (to carry), 'birth' (what is borne), 'burden' (what is
The two main senses of 'confer' — bestowing something and discussing together — both stem from the Latin idea of 'bringing together.' When you confer a degree, you carry it to someone; when you confer with colleagues, you carry your thoughts together into one place. The noun 'conference' preserves only the discussion sense.