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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In addition to Posey, a former MVP and three-time world champion, and Lester, who had a better winning percentage than Greg Maddux or Tom Glavine, former managers Dusty Baker and Bruce Bochy are odds-on favorites to win election from the next conclave of the Eras Committee.
—
Dan Schlossberg, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
But the late pontiff also did not hold many formal meetings with the College of Cardinals, something which cardinals said a future pope should change during meetings held before the last conclave.
—Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 9 Jan. 2026
Since his election at the papal conclave in May, the American pontiff's tenure has largely been shaped by commitments inherited from Francis, including the major events of the 2025 Holy Year.
—Anna Matranga, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
Eight months later, John Paul II died, and the papal conclave elected as his successor Joseph Ratzinger, who took the name Benedict XVI; Bergoglio, who at the time was thought to be a conservative, was the runner-up.
—Paul Elie, New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2026
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Dan Schlossberg, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
But the late pontiff also did not hold many formal meetings with the College of Cardinals, something which cardinals said a future pope should change during meetings held before the last conclave.
—Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 9 Jan. 2026
Since his election at the papal conclave in May, the American pontiff's tenure has largely been shaped by commitments inherited from Francis, including the major events of the 2025 Holy Year.
—Anna Matranga, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
Eight months later, John Paul II died, and the papal conclave elected as his successor Joseph Ratzinger, who took the name Benedict XVI; Bergoglio, who at the time was thought to be a conservative, was the runner-up.
—Paul Elie, New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for conclave
Cite this Entry
“Conclave.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conclave. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
conclave
noun
con·clave
ˈkän-ˌklāv
: a private or secret meeting or assembly
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