conventicle noun & verb. [kǝn'vɛntɪk(ǝ)l] LME.
[Latin conventiculum (place of) assembly, formally dim. of conventus meeting: see CONVENT noun.]
A. noun.
1. A (regular) assembly or meeting. LME-M17.

2. A meeting or assembly of a private, clandestine, irregular, or illegal nature. obsolete exc. as below. LME.
b. spec. A clandestine or unlawful religious meeting, esp. (Hist.) of Nonconformists or Dissenters in England, or of Covenanters in Scotland. E16.

3. A place of (irregular etc.) meeting; esp. (Hist., formerly derog.) a Nonconformist or Dissenting meeting-house. LME.

4. A small convent. M16-E17.

Comb.:
Conventicle Acts Hist.: of the reign of Charles II, suppressing religious meetings not conforming to the Church of England.
B. verb trans. & intrans. Form into a conventicle; hold or frequent conventicles. L16-E18.

■ conventicleer noun = conventicler M17-E18.

■ conventicler noun an attender of conventicles LME.

[TahlilGaran] English Dictionary ▲