convent

1 of 2

noun

con·​vent ˈkän-vənt 

-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 

convented; conventing; convents

obsolete

: convene

Examples of convent in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Since then, the order has grown to three hundred nuns in thirty convents around the world. —Lawrence Wright, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2025

It was then divided and sold as 26 different lots in 1971, before being bought by a church and used as a convent. —Raven Brunner, People.com, 23 Jan. 2025

Sor Juana spent most of her time in a convent in Mexico City — then the capital of the sprawling colony territory of New Spain — and was a prolific writer in several genres. —Elisabeth Vincentelli, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2025

Named after a convent built in 1613 in the village of Mane, in the south of France, the label specializes in natural cosmetics and fragrances based on medicinal herbs. —Jennifer Weil, WWD, 7 Jan. 2025

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

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