conventicle Hear it!

conventicle Definition

con·ven·ti·cle (kən ven′ti kəl)

noun

  1. a religious assembly held illegally and secretly by certain Protestant sects that disputed the authority of the Church of England in the 16th and 17th cent.
  2. the meeting place of such an assembly

Etymology: ME < OFr conventicule < L conventiculum, dim. of convent

conventicle Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • attend: He was accused of attending conventicles in 1672, and died 15th March 1673, aged about 51.
  • hold: Soon the death penalty was imposed on ministers holding conventicles.
  • keep: Are there any parishioners keeping conventicles ( illegal religious meetings ) in private houses?

Noun used with modifier

holding: He was complained against at the Synod of Glasgow, 22nd Oct. 1674, for holding conventicles.