convent

UK: /ˈkɒnv^ənt/ US: /ˈkɑnvɛnt, -vənt/ ,(kon′vent, -vənt)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

con•vent /ˈkɑnvɛnt, -vənt/   n. [countable]

1. Religion a community of people, esp. nuns, devoted to religious life under a superior.
2. Religion the building or buildings occupied by such a community.

See -ven-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

con•vent  (kon′vent, -vənt), n. 

1. Religion a community of persons devoted to religious life under a superior.
2. Religion a society or association of monks, friars, or nuns: now usually used of a society of nuns.
3. Religion the building or buildings occupied by such a society;
   a monastery or nunnery.
4. [Obs.] assembly;
   meeting.

• Medieval Latin, as above
• Anglo-French
• Medieval Latin conventus; Latin: assembly, coming together, equivalent. to conven(īre) (see convene) + -tus suffix of verb, verbal action; replacing Middle English covent
• 1175–1225

Synonyms

• 1. abbey, priory.
• 3. cloister.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

convent / ˈkɒnvənt/ noun

1. a building inhabited by a religious community, usually of nuns
2. the religious community inhabiting such a building
3. Also called: convent school a school in which the teachers are nuns

Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French covent, from Latin conventus meeting, from convenīre to come together; see convene