CONVENTICLE


Meaning of CONVENTICLE in English

[ kən'vɛntɪk(ə)l ]

■ noun historical a secret or unlawful religious meeting, typically of nonconformists.

Origin

ME: from L. conventiculum '(place of) assembly', dimin. of conventus 'assembly, company', from convenire (see convene ).

Concise Oxford English vocab.      Сжатый оксфордский словарь английского языка.