conventicle

views updated Jun 27 2018

conventicle †meeting, assembly, esp. of a clandestine or illegal kind, at first political, later religious XIV; meeting or meeting-place of Protestant Dissenters XVI. — L. conventiculum (place of) assembly, in form dim. of conventus meeting (see CONVENT), but not used with derogatory reference till medieval times.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology T. F. HOAD

conventicle

views updated May 18 2018

conventicle a secret or unlawful religious meeting of people with nonconformist views; the Conventicles Acts were two acts of Charles II, ‘to prevent and suppress seditious Conventicles’.

The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable ELIZABETH KNOWLES

Conventicle

views updated Jun 08 2018

Conventicle

a small or private assembly, 1382; a meeting for religious worship, 1649; a clandestine or irregular meeting. See also conciliable.

Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms

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