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.
At its twice-a-decade leadership conclave last week, the party elevated foreign affairs to a "core" national function, alongside national defence and internal security.
From Barron's ● Jan. 29, 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
This week’s conclave, known as the Fourth Plenum, is the Central Committee’s fourth plenary meeting in its current term.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2025
While a storm had kept many spectators away from the last conclave, they gathered in force today on the street before the Fulcrum City Capitol Building.
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.
