conclave
Americannoun
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a private or secret meeting.
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an assembly or gathering, especially one that has special authority, power, or influence.
a conclave of political leaders.
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the assembly or meeting of the cardinals for the election of a pope.
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the body of cardinals; the College of Cardinals.
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the place in which the cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church meet in private for the election of a pope.
noun
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a confidential or secret meeting
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RC Church
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the closed apartments where the college of cardinals elects a new pope
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a meeting of the college of cardinals for this purpose
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Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of conclave
1350–1400; Middle English < Medieval Latin, Latin conclāve room, enclosed space, representing ( camera ) cum clāve (room) with key. See con-, clef
Explanation
A private or secret meeting is a conclave. What are some reasons you might hold a conclave? You might be convening the executive committee on the board of a company, or you might be planning a surprise party. In Catholicism, a conclave is specifically a meeting of Roman Catholic cardinals who are locked in a room in seclusion when they need to choose a new pope. The word conclave comes from the Latin and originally meant "a locked room." The school's band boosters held a conclave to discuss the harsh district budget cuts and how those cuts might affect all the other music programs at school.
Vocabulary lists containing conclave
100 SAT words Beginning with "C"
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com-, con-
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Scythe
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Beijing has escalated a sweeping purge of military officials in the days before thousands of delegates from across the country meet for the annual Two Sessions political conclave that starts on Wednesday.
From Barron's • Mar. 3, 2026
White smoke rose above the Sistine Chapel to announce the election of the 267th head of the Catholic Church after a less-than-24-hour conclave.
From Barron's • Nov. 25, 2025
Six months since a conclave of cardinals elected the first North American to the Papacy, some Catholics feel that Leo has been slow to stamp his own mark on the role.
From BBC • Nov. 15, 2025
The readout of the closed-door conclave also included a pledge to step up high-end manufacturing, another measure viewed as part of Beijing’s efforts to hold its own against the U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 23, 2025
At six that evening, all other conclave business ceased and the day revolved into its final stage.
From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
