conclave

noun

con·​clave ˈkän-ˌklāv 

1

: a private meeting or secret assembly

especially : a meeting of Roman Catholic cardinals secluded continuously while choosing a pope

The conclave elected the new pope on the fifth ballot.

2

: a gathering of a group or association

the annual conclave of newspaper publishers

Did you know?

Conclave comes from a Latin word meaning "room that can be locked up" (from the Latin com-, "together," and clavis, "key"). The English conclave formerly had the same meaning, but that use is now obsolete. Today, conclave refers not to the locked rooms but to the private meetings and secret assemblies that occur within them. The meaning of conclave has also expanded to include gatherings that are not necessarily secret or private but simply involve people with shared interests.

Examples of conclave in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The College of Cardinals comes together for a papal conclave to choose a new pope—and things go spectacularly wrong. —Erik Kain, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024

While an official date for the two-day conclave has yet to be announced, Bloomberg has reported that the closed-door meeting will be held from Dec. 11 to 12. —Anniek Bao, CNBC, 9 Dec. 2024

So Berger and his team recreated the real thing, including the Sistine Chapel and the Casa Santa Marta — a hotel of sorts where cardinals stay during the conclave. —Gerrad Hall, EW.com, 27 Nov. 2024

Like the characters, Berger’s camera stays inside the confines of the conclave. —Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 30 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French or Medieval Latin; Middle French, from Medieval Latin, from Latin, room that can be locked up, from com- + clavis key — more at clavicle

First Known Use

1524, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Kids Definition

conclave

noun

con·​clave ˈkän-ˌklāv 

: a private or secret meeting or assembly