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Where does the word "convent" come from? It comes from Latin conventus, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).
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Where does the word "convent" come from? It comes from Latin conventus, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).
Convent’s story begins in Latin: conventus meant “assembly.” From 'convenire', to come together. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as covent. London's Covent Garden was a convent garden. It reached English by 1200s as convent. Narrowed to communities of nuns in the 1700s. Today, convent means a community of nuns.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient conventus "assembly", from 'convenire', to come together.
- Stage 2 · Old French · medieval covent "religious community", London's Covent Garden was a convent garden.
- Stage 3 · English · 1200s convent "monastery", narrowed to communities of nuns in the 1700s.