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
- conclavist noun
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.
China's leaders will likely announce policies aimed at boosting domestic consumption at the annual Two Sessions political conclave this week, but they face an uphill battle.
From Barron's • Mar. 4, 2026
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
In May he took part in the conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV.
From BBC • Dec. 19, 2025
Now, on the cusp of the latest COP30 climate conclave in Brazil next month, Mr. Gates offers different advice.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 30, 2025
“She’ll be history after the next conclave anyway, right?”
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.
