conventicle

views updated Jun 27 2018

conventicle †meeting, assembly, esp. of a clandestine or illegal kind, at first political, later religious XIV; meeting or meeting-place of Protestant Dissenters XVI. — L. conventiculum (place of) assembly, in form dim. of conventus meeting (see CONVENT), but not used with derogatory reference till medieval times.

conventicle

views updated May 18 2018

conventicle a secret or unlawful religious meeting of people with nonconformist views; the Conventicles Acts were two acts of Charles II, ‘to prevent and suppress seditious Conventicles’.

Conventicle

views updated Jun 08 2018

Conventicle

a small or private assembly, 1382; a meeting for religious worship, 1649; a clandestine or irregular meeting. See also conciliable.

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