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con·clave

(kŏnklāv′, kŏng-)

1. A secret or confidential meeting.

2. Roman Catholic Church

a. The private rooms in which the cardinals meet to elect a new pope.

b. The meeting held to elect a new pope.

3. A meeting of family members or associates.

[Middle English, private chamber, conclave of cardinals, from Latin conclāve, lockable room : com-, com- + clāvis, key.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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