CONVENTICLE


Meaning of CONVENTICLE in English

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

Webster's New International English Dictionary.      Новый международный словарь английского языка Webster.