convent

American  

[kon-vent, -vuhnt] / ˈkɒn vɛnt, -vənt /

noun

1. a community of persons devoted to religious life under a superior.

   Synonyms:

   priory, abbey

2. a society or association of monks, friars, or nuns: now usually used of a society of nuns.

3. the building or buildings occupied by such a society; a monastery or nunnery.

   Synonyms:

   cloister

4. Obsolete. assembly; meeting.

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convent British  

/ ˈkɒnvənt /

noun

1. a building inhabited by a religious community, usually of nuns

2. the religious community inhabiting such a building

3. Also called: convent school.  a school in which the teachers are nuns

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convent Cultural  

1. A community of people in a religious order, especially nuns.

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Etymology

Origin of convent

1175–1225; < Medieval Latin conventus; Latin: assembly, coming together, equivalent to conven ( īre ) ( convene ) + -tus suffix of v. action; replacing Middle English covent < Anglo-French < Medieval Latin, as above

Example Sentences

The women find refuge in a convent and, ultimately, in a seaside town where some measure of peace awaits them.

From Los Angeles Times

In Rome, they founded the convent of Santa Maria del Popolo at one of the city's main entrances, with trees and gardens nearby.

From Science Daily

The rumor I’ve heard is that the Ranch was an abandoned convent before Dr.

From Literature

Seasonal purists could just download the dozen or so Christmas episodes of this long-running and still-exceptional drama about a group of midwives working out of a convent in London’s East End.

From Los Angeles Times

That this is all unfolding at a convent is an obvious irony, though as handled here it isn’t a cheap or facile one.

From The Wall Street Journal