Conclave1. (n.) The set of apartments within which the cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church are continuously secluded while engaged in choosing a pope.
2. (n.) The body of cardinals shut up in the conclave for the election of a pope; hence, the body of cardinals.
3. (n.) A private meeting; a close or secret assembly.
Thesaurus Entries
Council of Nicaea, Council of Trent, Lateran Council, Vatican Council, assemblee, assembly, assignation, at home, audience, ball, bargaining, bargaining session, brawl, caucus, chapter, classis, colloquium, commission, committee, conciliarism, concourse, confab, confabulation, conference, confrontation, congregation, congress, consistory, constitutional convention, consultation, conventicle, convention, convocation, council, council fire, council of war, county convention, dance, date, diet, diocesan conference, discussion, ecclesiastical council, ecumenical council, eisteddfod, exchange of views, eyeball-to-eyeball encounter, festivity, fete, forgathering, forum, gathering, get-together, high-level talk, housewarming, huddle, interchange of views, interview, levee, meet, meeting, national convention, negotiations, news conference, nominating convention, palaver, panel, parley, parochial church council, parochial council, party, plenary council, plenum, political convention, pourparler, powwow, preliminary convention, presbytery, press conference, prom, quadrennial circus, quorum, rally, reception, rendezvous, seance, session, shindig, sit-in, sitting, soiree, state convention, summit, summit conference, summitry, symposium, synod, turnout, vestry