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Webster 1913 Edition


Conclave

Con′clave

(? or ?; 277)
,
Noun.
[F., fr. L.
conclave
a room that may locked up;
con-
+
clavis
key. See
Clavicle
.]
1.
The set of apartments within which the cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church are continuously secluded while engaged in choosing a pope.
2.
The body of cardinals shut up in the conclave for the election of a pope; hence, the body of cardinals.
It was said a cardinal, by reason of his apparent likelihood to step into St. Peter’s chair, that in two
conclaves
he went in pope and came out again cardinal.
South.
3.
A private meeting; a close or secret assembly.
The verdicts pronounced by this
conclave
(Johnson's Club) on new books, were speedily known over all London.
Macaulay.
To be in conclave
,
to be engaged in a secret meeting; – said of several, or a considerable number of, persons.

Webster 1828 Edition


Conclave

CONCLAVE

,
Noun.
[L., an inner room; a key, or from the same root, to make fast.]
1.
A private apartment, particularly the room in which the Cardinals of the Romish church meet in privacy, for the eletion of a Pope. It consists of a range of small cells or apartments, standing in a line along the galleries and hall of the Vatican.
2.
The assembly or meeting of the Cardinals, shut up for the election of a Pope.
3.
A private meeting; a close assembly.

Definition 2024


conclave

conclave

See also: cónclave

English

Noun

conclave (plural conclaves)

  1. The set of apartments within which the cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church are continuously secluded while engaged in choosing a pope.
  2. The group of Roman Catholic cardinals locked in a conclave until they elect a new pope; the body of cardinals.
    • Robert South
      It was said a cardinal, by reason of his apparent likelihood to step into St. Peter's chair, that in two conclaves he went in pope and came out again cardinal.
  3. A private meeting; a close or secret assembly.
    • Thomas Babington Macaulay
      The verdicts pronounced by this conclave (Johnson's Club) on new books, were speedily known over all London.

Derived terms

  • in conclave: engaged in a secret meeting; said of a group of people.

Related terms

Translations


Catalan

Etymology

From Latin conclave.

Noun

conclave m (plural conclaves)

  1. conclave

Synonyms


Italian

Etymology

From Latin conclave.

Pronunciation

Noun

conclave m (plural conclavi)

  1. conclave

Derived terms


Latin

Etymology

From con- + clāve, ablative form of clāvis (key).

Pronunciation

Noun

conclāve n (genitive conclāvis); third declension

  1. room, chamber
  2. enclosed space that can be locked
  3. dining hall

Inflection

Third declension neuter “pure” i-stem.

Case Singular Plural
nominative conclāve conclāvia
genitive conclāvis conclāvium
dative conclāvī conclāvibus
accusative conclāve conclāvia
ablative conclāvī conclāvibus
vocative conclāve conclāvia

Descendants

References


Spanish

Noun

conclave m (plural conclaves)

  1. conclave