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
Francis’ convalescence will take place in the Casa Santa Marta, designed as a guesthouse primarily for cardinals taking part in conclaves.
—
Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2025
The pontiff will also make his first public appearance on Sunday at the hospital’s balcony before making his way back to the Casa Santa Marta, his residence since the 2013 conclave, according to Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni.
—Christopher Lamb, CNN, 22 Mar. 2025
At the Democratic Party conclave earlier this year, Jonathan Capehart of MSNBC and the Washington Post moderated a panel with the eight candidates to head the Democratic National Committee.
—Alexander Nazaryan, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 21 Mar. 2025
Following the conclave, CSA issued design guidelines covering everything from scale and building costs to climate resilience and aesthetics.
—Mayer Rus, Architectural Digest, 27 Mar. 2025
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Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2025
The pontiff will also make his first public appearance on Sunday at the hospital’s balcony before making his way back to the Casa Santa Marta, his residence since the 2013 conclave, according to Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni.
—Christopher Lamb, CNN, 22 Mar. 2025
At the Democratic Party conclave earlier this year, Jonathan Capehart of MSNBC and the Washington Post moderated a panel with the eight candidates to head the Democratic National Committee.
—Alexander Nazaryan, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 21 Mar. 2025
Following the conclave, CSA issued design guidelines covering everything from scale and building costs to climate resilience and aesthetics.
—Mayer Rus, Architectural Digest, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for conclave
Cite this Entry
“Conclave.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conclave. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
conclave
noun
con·clave
ˈkän-ˌklāv
: a private or secret meeting or assembly
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