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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The Art Of Joy follows a woman born into modest circumstances in Sicily in 1900, who goes on navigate life in a convent, and then carves herself out a place in aristocratic household achieving happiness and emancipation in the process. Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 7 Apr. 2025 Sometimes a note is left on the convent’s doorstep. Lawrence Wright, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2025 Sutton added that the proposal will preserve the historical significance of the home, which was a former convent. Raven Brunner, People.com, 23 Jan. 2025 On a recent morning, two restorers scrambled up scaffolding in the convent’s chapter house to put some finishing touches on their work. Clara Vannucci, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for convent

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

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Cite this Entry

“Convent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/convent. Accessed 28 Apr. 2025.

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

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