CONVENTICLE


Meaning of CONVENTICLE in English

— conventicler , n. — conventicular /kon'ven tik"yeuh leuhr/ , adj.

/keuhn ven"ti keuhl/ , n.

1. a secret or unauthorized meeting, esp. for religious worship, as those held by Protestant dissenters in England in the 16th and 17th centuries.

2. a place of meeting or assembly, esp. a Nonconformist meeting house.

3. Obs. a meeting or assembly.

[ 1350-1400; ME conventiculum a small assembly. See CONVENT, -I-, -CLE 1 ]

Random House Webster's Unabridged English dictionary.      Полный английский словарь Вебстер - Random House .