convent

convent

See also: Convent

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English convent, variant of covent, from Old French covent, from Latin conventus, perfect participle of the verb convenio (whence ultimately convene), see con- + venio. Doublet of coven.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈkɒn.vɛnt/, /ˈkɒn.vənt/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈkɑn.vɛnt/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Hyphenation: con‧vent

Noun

convent (plural convents)

1. A religious community whose members (especially nuns) live under strict observation of religious rules and self-imposed vows.
2. The buildings and pertaining surroundings in which such a community lives.
   • 1705, J[oseph] Addison, Remarks on Several Parts of Italy, &c. in the Years 1701, 1702, 1703, London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], OCLC 1051505315:

     One seldom finds in Italy a spot of ground more agreeable than ordinary that is not covered with a convent.

3. (India) A Christian school.
4. A gathering of people lasting several days for the purpose of discussing or working on topics previously selected.
5. A coming together; a meeting.
   • 1609, Ben Jonson, The Masque of Queens

     an usual ceremony at their [the witches'] convents or meetings

Derived terms

• convent school

Related terms

• convenance
• convene
• convenient
• conventicle
• convention
• covenant
• covin

 

Translations

religious community of especially nuns

Arabic: دير (للراهبات)‎ m (dayr (li-r-rāhibāt)), رهبنة نسوي‎ f (rahbana niswī) Bulgarian: мето́х (bg) m (metóh) Catalan: convent (ca) m Chinese: Mandarin: 女修道院 (zh) (nǔ xiūdàoyuàn), 庵堂 (zh) (āntáng) (generally Buddhist), 尼姑庵 (zh) (nígū'ān) (generally Buddhist) Danish: kloster (da) n, nonnekloster (da) n (for nuns), munkekloster (da) n (for monks) Dutch: nonnenklooster (nl) n Finnish: konventti (fi), nunnaluostari (fi) French: couvent (fr) m Georgian: მონასტერი (monasṭeri) German: Kloster (de) n, Nonnenkloster (de) n Hungarian: zárda (hu) sg Irish: clochar m Italian: convento (it) m Latin: coenobium n, monastērium n (monachārum), conventus (la) m (4th declension) Macedonian: же́нски ма́настир m (žénski mánastir) Maori: whare none Norwegian: Bokmål: kloster (no) n, nonnekloster n (for nuns) Nynorsk: kloster n, nonnekloster n (for nuns) Old English: nunnhīrēd m, nunnmynster n, wīfhīrēd m Polish: konwent (pl) m, klasztor (żeński) m Portuguese: convento (pt) m Romanian: mănăstire (de maici) f Russian: же́нский монасты́рь m (žénskij monastýrʹ) Spanish: convento (es) m Swahili: konventi Swedish: nunnekloster (sv) n (for nuns), kloster (sv) n Tagalog: bahay-madre Tocharian B: tsāro

building

Catalan: convent (ca) m Chinese: Mandarin: 修道院 (zh) Czech: klášter (cs) m Danish: kloster (da) n, nonnekloster (da) n (for nuns), munkekloster (da) n (for monks) Finnish: konventti (fi), nunnaluostari (fi) Macedonian: ма́настир m (mánastir) Norwegian: Bokmål: kloster (no) n, nonnekloster n Nynorsk: kloster n, nonnekloster n Persian: صومعه‎ (fa) (sovme'e) Portuguese: convento (pt) m Russian: монасты́рь (ru) m (monastýrʹ) Slovak: kláštor (sk) m Spanish: convento (es) m

gathering

Finnish: konventti (fi), kokous (fi) Macedonian: собир m (sobir) Polish: konwent (pl) m Portuguese: convenção (pt) f Russian: съезд (ru) m (sʺjezd), слёт (ru) m (sljot), конве́нт (ru) m (konvént)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

French: (please verify) couvent (fr) m German: (please verify) Konvent m Swedish: (please verify) konvent (sv)

See also

• monastery
• nunnery

Etymology 2

From Latin convenio (past participle conventus), whence also convene; so of the same ultimate origin as Etymology 1.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kənˈvɛnt/
• Rhymes: -ɛnt

Verb

convent (third-person singular simple present convents, present participle conventing, simple past and past participle convented)

1. (obsolete) To call before a judge or judicature; to summon; to convene.
   • 1613, William Shakespeare; [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, [Act V, scene i], line 52:

     Tomorrow morning to the Council board
     He be convented.

2. (obsolete) To meet together; to concur.
   • 1613–1614, William Shakespeare; John Fletcher, “The Two Noble Kinsmen.”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1679, OCLC 3083972, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):

     We convent nought else but woes

3. (obsolete) To be convenient; to serve.
   • c. 1601–1602, William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or VVhat You VVill”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, [Act V, scene i], line 379:

     When that is known and golden time convents.

Anagrams

• convnet

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Catalan

Etymology

From Latin conventus.

Pronunciation

• (Balearic, Valencian) IPA^(key): /komˈvent/
• (Central) IPA^(key): /kumˈben/

Noun

convent m (plural convents)

1. convent (building)

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Dutch

Etymology

From Middle Dutch convent, from Old French convent, from Latin conventus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kɔnˈvɛnt/

• Audio

  (file)

• Hyphenation: con‧vent
• Rhymes: -ɛnt

Noun

convent n (plural conventen)

1. (Christianity) convent, monastery

   Synonym: klooster

2. (obsolete) meeting, gathering, convention

Related terms

• conventikel

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French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin conventus. See also the doublet couvent.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kɔ̃.vɑ̃/

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

convent m (plural convents)

1. (archaic, rare) convent, nunnery

Related terms

• convention

Further reading

• “convent”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.