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conclave

American  
[kon-kleyv, kong-] / ˈkɒn kleɪv, ˈkɒŋ- /

noun

  1. a private or secret meeting.

  2. an assembly or gathering, especially one that has special authority, power, or influence.

    a conclave of political leaders.

  3. the assembly or meeting of the cardinals for the election of a pope.

  4. the body of cardinals; the College of Cardinals.

  5. the place in which the cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church meet in private for the election of a pope.

conclave British  
/ ˈkɒŋ-, ˈkɒnkleɪv /

noun

  1. a confidential or secret meeting

  2. RC Church

    1. the closed apartments where the college of cardinals elects a new pope

    2. a meeting of the college of cardinals for this purpose

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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

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.