conventicle

con·ven·ti·cle  (kn-vnt-kl)

n.

1. A religious meeting, especially a secret or illegal one, such as those held by Dissenters in England and Scotland in the 16th and 17th centuries.

2. The place where such a meeting is held.

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[Middle English, from Latin conventiculum, meeting, diminutive of conventus, assembly; see convent.]

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con·venti·cler n.

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conventicle [kənˈvɛntɪk^əl]

n

1. (Christianity / Ecclesiastical Terms) a secret or unauthorized assembly for worship

2. (Christianity / Ecclesiastical Terms) a small meeting house or chapel for a religious assembly, esp of Nonconformists or Dissenters

[from Latin conventiculum a meeting, from conventus; see convent]

conventicler  n

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Conventicle a small or private assembly, 1382; a meeting for religious worship, 1649; a clandestine or irregular meeting. See also conciliable.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	conventicle - a secret unauthorized meeting for religious worship get together, meeting - a small informal social gathering; "there was an informal meeting in my living room"
	2.	conventicle - a building for religious assembly (especially Nonconformists, e.g., Quakers) meetinghouse house of God, house of prayer, house of worship, place of worship - any building where congregations gather for prayer