different between sanctuary vs convent

English

Etymology

From Middle English sanctuary, from Old French saintuaire, from Late Latin sanctuarium (“a sacred place, a shrine, a private cabinet, in Medieval Latin also temple, church, churchyard, cemetery, right of asylum”), from Latin sanctus (“holy, sacred”); see saint.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?sæ?ktj???i/, /?sæ?kt?????i/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?sæ?kt??u???i/
• Hyphenation: sanc?tu?ary

Noun

sanctuary (plural sanctuaries)

1. A place of safety, refuge, or protection.

   My car is a sanctuary, where none can disturb me except for people who cut me off.

2. An area set aside for protection.

   The bird sanctuary has strict restrictions on visitors so the birds aren't disturbed.

3. A state of being protected, asylum.

   The government granted sanctuary to the defector, protecting him from his former government.

4. The consecrated (or sacred) area of a church or temple around its tabernacle or altar.

Synonyms

• haven
• presbytery
• refuge
• zoar
• shelter

Translations

Further reading

• sanctuary in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• sanctuary in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Derived terms

• privileged sanctuary
• sanctuary city
• sanctuarylike

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English convent, variant of covent, from Old French covent, from Latin conventus, perfect participle of the verb convenio (whence ultimately convene), see con- + venio. Doublet of coven

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?k?n.v?nt/, /?k?n.v?nt/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?k?n.v?nt/
• Hyphenation: con?vent

Noun

convent (plural convents)

1. A religious community whose members (especially nuns) live under strict observation of religious rules and self-imposed vows.
2. The buildings and pertaining surroundings in which such a community lives.

   • One seldom finds in Italy a spot of ground more agreeable than ordinary that is not covered with a convent.

3. (India) A Christian school.
4. A gathering of people lasting several days for the purpose of discussing or working on topics previously selected.
5. A coming together; a meeting.
   • 1609, Ben Jonson, The Masque of Queens

     an usual ceremony at their [the witches'] convents or meetings

Related terms

Translations

See also

• monastery
• nunnery

Etymology 2

From Latin convenio (past participle conventus), whence also convene; so of the same ultimate origin as Etymology 1.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /k?n?v?nt/

Verb

convent (third-person singular simple present convents, present participle conventing, simple past and past participle convented)

1. (obsolete) To call before a judge or judicature; to summon; to convene.
   • 1613, William Shakespeare, The Life of King Henry the Eighth, V. i. 52:

     Tomorrow morning to the Council board
     He be convented.

2. (obsolete) To meet together; to concur.

   • We convent nought else but woes

3. (obsolete) To be convenient; to serve.
   • 1599, William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, V. i. 379:

     When that is known and golden time convents.

Anagrams

• convnet

Catalan

Etymology

From Latin conventus.

Pronunciation

• (Balearic, Valencian) IPA^(key): /kom?vent/
• (Central) IPA^(key): /kum?ben/

Noun

convent m (plural convents)

1. convent (building)

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin conventus. See also the doublet couvent.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /k??.v??/

Noun

convent m (plural convents)

1. (archaic, rare) convent, nunnery

Related terms

• convention

Further reading

• “convent” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).