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
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How to watch Day 2 of papal conclave USA TODAY will stream coverage of the conclave on its YouTube channel, available here or below.
—
Alex Perry, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
How the papal conclave works 2025 papal conclave vote: Voting for a new pope
The first ballot was cast Wednesday evening (Vatican time), May 7, according to Vatican News.
—Chris Sims, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025
Tobin, a progressive, is among the 10 Americans who'll have a vote in the conclave.
—Noe Padilla, IndyStar, 2 July 2025
Formerly known as Robert Francis Prevost, the Chicago native was selected by the papal conclave on May 8 after two days, elected by the College of Cardinals to succeed Pope Francis, who died on April 21 at the age of 88.
—Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 4 June 2025
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Alex Perry, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
How the papal conclave works 2025 papal conclave vote: Voting for a new pope
The first ballot was cast Wednesday evening (Vatican time), May 7, according to Vatican News.
—Chris Sims, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025
Tobin, a progressive, is among the 10 Americans who'll have a vote in the conclave.
—Noe Padilla, IndyStar, 2 July 2025
Formerly known as Robert Francis Prevost, the Chicago native was selected by the papal conclave on May 8 after two days, elected by the College of Cardinals to succeed Pope Francis, who died on April 21 at the age of 88.
—Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 4 June 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 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
conclave
noun
con·clave
ˈkän-ˌklāv
: a private or secret meeting or assembly
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