Standard Lemma guide

coven

name · noun · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈkʌv.ən/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ʌvən
  • CMU ARPABET: K AH1 V AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: K OW1 V AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

name

Meaning 1

A village in Brewood and Coven parish, South Staffordshire district, Staffordshire, England (OS grid ref SJ9006).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A nunnery, a convent.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A confederacy or band of people.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A formal group or assembly of witches.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

In fantasy fiction, a family, group or assembly of vampires.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

A clique that shares common interests or activities.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

an assembly of witches; usually 13 witches

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: assembly

History

Etymology

From Middle English covent, from Anglo-Norman covent, cuvent, from Old French covent, from Latin conventum, from conveniō, from cum (“with”) and venio (“to come”). Doublet of convent.

Across languages

Translations

31 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Basque: akelarre — formal group or assembly of witches
  • Bulgarian: сбор на вещици (sbor na veštici) — formal group or assembly of witches
  • Catalan: aquelarre — formal group or assembly of witches
  • Czech: čarodějnický sabat — formal group or assembly of witches
  • Dutch: heksenkring — formal group or assembly of witches
  • Finnish: noitapiiri — formal group or assembly of witches
  • French: sabbat — formal group or assembly of witches
  • French: coven — formal group or assembly of witches
  • French: clan — formal group or assembly of witches
  • German: Hexenzirkel — formal group or assembly of witches
  • Irish: coibhín — formal group or assembly of witches
  • Irish: coibhín fia-chailleach — formal group or assembly of witches
  • Japanese: 魔女の集まり (majo no atsumari) — formal group or assembly of witches
  • Japanese: 魔女団 (majodan) — formal group or assembly of witches
  • Norwegian: hekseforsamling — formal group or assembly of witches
  • Norwegian: heksemøte — formal group or assembly of witches
  • Norwegian: heksesabbat — formal group or assembly of witches
  • Occitan: sabat — formal group or assembly of witches
  • Occitan: chaurit — formal group or assembly of witches
  • Polish: sabat — formal group or assembly of witches
  • Polish: zlot czarownic — formal group or assembly of witches
  • Portuguese: conventículo — formal group or assembly of witches
  • Russian: ша́баш (šábaš) — formal group or assembly of witches
  • Spanish: aquelarre — formal group or assembly of witches
  • Swedish: häxcirkel — formal group or assembly of witches
  • Ukrainian: ша́баш (šábaš) — formal group or assembly of witches
  • Welsh: cwfen — formal group or assembly of witches
  • Dutch: kliek — clique
  • French: clique — clique
  • Occitan: clica — clique
  • Spanish: gremio — clique
Real reading context

coven in complete knowledge articles