convent

1 of 2

noun

con·​vent ˈkän-vənt How to pronounce convent (audio)
-ˌvent
: a local community or house of a religious order or congregation
especially : an establishment of nuns

convent

2 of 2

verb

con·​vent kən-ˈvent How to pronounce convent (audio)
convented; conventing; convents
obsolete

Examples of convent in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Located in the city’s Santo Stefano district—an elegant residential area just southeast of Bologna’s core—the former convent dated back to the 1300s. Rachel Gallaher, Robb Report, 16 Mar. 2024 It’s housed in a former 14th-century convent and was converted into a hotel in the late 19th century. Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 1 Mar. 2024 The historic former convent is ideally located in the heart of the Baixa, Lisbon's oldest neighborhood. Elizabeth Brownfield, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 At Convent Square Lisbon, a 13th-century Dominican convent, guests are invited to create their own tea blend from herbs and leaves for their ritual. Elizabeth Brownfield, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 Perry teased a new Sister Act movie starring Tiffany Haddish and Goldberg in her original role as Deloris, a lounge singer who joins a convent after being placed in a witness protection program. Erin Clack, Peoplemag, 24 Feb. 2024 Researchers predict that the number of nuns living in the convent varied. Moira Ritter, Miami Herald, 21 Feb. 2024 Whoopi Goldberg shines in this propulsive, infectiously upbeat comedy as a singer who hides out in a convent after witnessing a mob hit. Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 21 Jan. 2024 Spanish chronicler Juan de Grijalva wrote that piñatas were used by Augustine monks in the early 1500s at a convent in the town of Acolman, just north of Mexico City. Fabiola Sánchez, The Christian Science Monitor, 23 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'convent.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English covent, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin conventus, from Latin, assembly, from convenire

Verb

Latin conventus, past participle of convenire

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1514, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of convent was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near convent

Cite this Entry

“Convent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/convent. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

convent

noun
con·​vent
ˈkän-vənt,
-ˌvent
1
: a community of nuns living together
2
: a house or set of buildings occupied by nuns
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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