convention
[kuh n-ven-shuh n]
- 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.
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Origin of convention
Synonyms
See more synonyms for convention on Thesaurus.com3. 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
Examples from the Web for convention
Contemporary Examples
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 ArtJay 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.
The outraged grammar stickler mistakes a convention for an immutable and fundamental law of the universe.
That convention, though poorly attended, was the precursor to the Constitutional Convention.
During the convention, debates about the executive were shaped by the belief that Washington would be its first office-holder.
Historical Examples
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 IndianaBooth Tarkington
He landed, fought, and won two battles, and signed the Convention of Cintra.
Self-HelpSamuel Smiles
Gone is her love of adventure; gone is her defiance of convention; gone is—is her independence.
The Law-BreakersRidgwell Cullum
I fought it hard at first; with convention, with your idea of right and wrong.
A Breath of Prairie and other storiesWill Lillibridge
convention
- a large formal assembly of a group with common interests, such as a political party or trade union
- 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
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Word Origin
C15: from Latin conventiō an assembling, agreeing
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for convention
n.
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).
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper