I. -kəl noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English conventicle, conventicule, from Latin conventiculum, diminutive of conventus assembly — more at convent
1. : an assembly, meeting, or convention especially of a society or body of persons
2. : an assembly or meeting of an irregular or unlawful character or regarded as having a sinister or evil purpose or tendency
3. : an assembly for religious worship ; especially : a secret meeting for worship by a group not sanctioned by civil law (as one formerly held by nonconformists in England)
4. : a meetinghouse or meeting place of a religious group especially of nonconformists
II. intransitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
: to assemble in a conventicle : frequent conventicles