conventicle

[ kuhn-ven-ti-kuhl ]

noun

1. a secret or unauthorized meeting, especially for religious worship, as those held by Protestant dissenters in England in the 16th and 17th centuries.
2. a place of meeting or assembly, especially a Nonconformist meeting house.
3. Obsolete. a meeting or assembly.

conventicle

/ kənˈvɛntɪkəl /

noun

1. a secret or unauthorized assembly for worship
2. a small meeting house or chapel for a religious assembly, esp of Nonconformists or Dissenters

Derived Forms

• conˈventicler, noun

Other Words From

• con·venti·cler noun
• con·ven·tic·u·lar [kon-ven-, tik, -y, uh, -ler], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of conventicle¹

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin conventiculum a small assembly. See convent, -i-, -cle ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of conventicle¹

C14: from Latin conventiculum a meeting, from conventus; see convent

Example Sentences

In the heated conventicle of my front room, the longed-for hope of being able to "save" took on a meaning not normally advanced by the banking community.

From The Guardian

"Who is responsible for this conventicle?" he continued, urging his horse towards the ducking stool.

From Project Gutenberg

In 1371 he was obliged to petition Gregory XI., reciting the existence of heretics called Beghards and Beguines, and the imperial edict confiscating their conventicles, the confirmation of which he desired.

From Project Gutenberg

Early in the fifth century we find Chrysostom teaching that heresy must be suppressed, heretics silenced and prevented from ensnaring others, and their conventicles broken up, but that the death-penalty is unlawful.

From Project Gutenberg

The infamous Mark was holding his conventicles in Alexandria about the very time that Pantaenus and Clement were teaching.

From Project Gutenberg