coven

American  

[kuhv-uhn, koh-vuhn] / ˈkʌv ən, ˈkoʊ vən /

noun

1. an assembly of witches, especially a group of thirteen.

---

coven British  

/ ˈkʌvən /

noun

1. a meeting of witches

2. a company of 13 witches

---

Etymology

Origin of coven

1500–10 for sense “assembly”; 1655–65 for current sense; variant of obsolete covent assembly, religious group, convent

Explanation

A group of witches is called a coven. In books, a coven of witches often gather at night to make potions and cast spells. The mythology of witches has them meeting under cover of night, often in mysterious groups of 13. Although there are only three of them, the "weird sisters" in Shakespeare's play "Macbeth" could be considered a coven. To people who follow the contemporary religion called Wicca, a coven is a gathering, no different from a congregation in Christianity. The word coven arose in the mid-1600s, ultimately from the Latin root conventus, "assembly."

Example Sentences

Mr Hamson, who now lives in Coven, in Staffordshire, said learning more about his background had made him become a "much nicer chap".

From BBC • Sep. 9, 2024

Finn Coven says to come prepared with measurements.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 17, 2023

As for what’s next, Connor is set to star in a new horror-thriller, “One of Us,” and Locke recently shot “Agatha: Coven of Chaos,” Marvel’s “WandaVision” spinoff.

From New York Times • Jul. 29, 2023

American Horror Story's "Coven" has Rice to thank for this.

From Salon • Jan. 29, 2023

The Coven found dark allies among the fey—cave efrits, ghuls, wraiths.

From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir