convention

[kuhn-ven-shuhn]

See more synonyms for convention on Thesaurus.com

noun

a meeting or formal assembly, as of representatives or delegates, for discussion of and action on particular matters of common concern.
U.S. Politics. a representative party assembly to nominate candidates and adopt platforms and party rules.
an agreement, compact, or contract.

an international agreement, especially one dealing with a specific matter, as postal service or copyright.
a rule, method, or practice established by usage; custom: the convention of showing north at the top of a map.
general agreement or consent; accepted usage, especially as a standard of procedure.
conventionalism.
Bridge. any of a variety of established systems or methods of bidding or playing that allows partners to convey certain information about their hands.

Origin of convention

1375–1425; late Middle English convencio(u)n (< Middle French) < Latin conventiōn- (stem of conventiō) agreement, literally, a coming together. See convene, -tion

Related formsan·ti·con·ven·tion, adjectivecoun·ter·con·ven·tion, nounpost·con·ven·tion, adjectivepre·con·ven·tion, nounpro·con·ven·tion, adjectiveun·con·ven·tion, noun

Synonyms for convention

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3. pact, treaty.

Synonym study

1. Convention, assembly, conference, convocation name meetings for particular purposes. Convention usually suggests a meeting of delegates representing political, church, social, or fraternal organizations. Assembly usually implies a meeting for a settled or customary purpose, as for discussion, legislation, or participation in a social function. Conference suggests a meeting for consultation and discussion about business or professional problems. Convocation denotes a (church) assembly, the members of which have been summoned for a special purpose; chapel services at some colleges are called convocations.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for convention

meeting, show, code, law, rule, pact, covenant, protocol, confab, assembly, congress, convocation, powwow, delegation, council, meet, rally, assemblage, representatives, clambake

Examples from the Web for convention

Contemporary Examples of convention

The crowd inside the convention center is very white, fairly old, and presumably decently rich.
Sneer and Clothing in Miami: Inside The $3 Billion Woodstock of Contemporary Art
Jay Michaelson
December 6, 2014
In 1968, at the ripe age of 14, I was at the Miami convention carrying my Rockefeller sign on the convention floor.
This Republican Loved Taxes & Modern Art
Scott Porch
November 19, 2014
The outraged grammar stickler mistakes a convention for an immutable and fundamental law of the universe.
Go Ahead, End With a Preposition: Grammar Rules We All Can Live With
Nick Romeo
November 3, 2014
That convention, though poorly attended, was the precursor to the Constitutional Convention.
Washington’s Wheeler-Dealer Patriotism
William O’Connor
October 31, 2014
During the convention, debates about the executive were shaped by the belief that Washington would be its first office-holder.
Washington’s Wheeler-Dealer Patriotism
William O’Connor
October 31, 2014

Historical Examples of convention

In the twelfth month of 1792 a convention of reformers was held at Edinburgh.
The Works of Whittier, Volume VI (of VII)
John Greenleaf Whittier
We go into the convention, and the names of Halloway and McCune are placed before it.
The Gentleman From Indiana
Booth Tarkington
He landed, fought, and won two battles, and signed the Convention of Cintra.
Self-Help
Samuel Smiles
Gone is her love of adventure; gone is her defiance of convention; gone is—is her independence.
The Law-Breakers
Ridgwell Cullum
I fought it hard at first; with convention, with your idea of right and wrong.
A Breath of Prairie and other stories
Will Lillibridge

British Dictionary definitions for convention

convention

noun

1. a large formal assembly of a group with common interests, such as a political party or trade union
2. the persons attending such an assembly
US politics an assembly of delegates of one party to select candidates for office
diplomacy an international agreement second only to a treaty in formalitya telecommunications convention
any agreement, compact, or contract
the most widely accepted or established view of what is thought to be proper behaviour, good taste, etc
an accepted rule, usage, etca convention used by printers
Also called: conventional bridge a bid or play not to be taken at its face value, which one's partner can interpret according to a prearranged bidding system

Word Origin for convention

C15: from Latin conventiō an assembling, agreeing

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

Word Origin and History for convention

early 15c., "agreement," from Middle French convention and directly from Latin conventionem (nominative conventio) "meeting, assembly, covenant," noun of action from past participle stem of convenire (see convene).