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convent

 - 4 dictionary results

con⋅vent

[kon-vent, -vuhnt]
–noun
1. a community of persons devoted to religious life under a superior.
2. a society or association of monks, friars, or nuns: now usually used of a society of nuns.
3. the building or buildings occupied by such a society; a monastery or nunnery.
4. Obsolete. assembly; meeting.

Origin:
1175–1225; < ML conventus; L: assembly, coming together, equiv. to conven(īre) (see convene ) + -tus suffix of v. action; r. ME covent < AF < ML, as above


1. abbey, priory. 3. cloister.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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con·vent   (kŏn'vənt, -věnt')   
n.  
  1. A community, especially of nuns, bound by vows to a religious life under a superior.

  2. The building or buildings occupied by such a community.


[Middle English covent, from Old French, from Medieval Latin conventus, from Latin, assembly, from past participle of convenīre, to assemble; see convene.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Cultural Dictionary

convent

A community of people in a religious order, especially nuns.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

convent 
c.1290, covent, from Anglo-Norm. covent, from O.Fr. convent, from L. conventus "assembly," used in M.L. for "religious house," originally pp. of convenire "come together" (see convene). Not exclusively feminine until 18c. The form with -n- emerged early 15c. The M.E. form remains in London's Covent Garden district (notorious late 18c. for brothels), so called because it had been the garden of a defunct monastery.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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