Dictionary Definition

conclave n : a confidential or secret meeting

User Contributed Dictionary

French from conclave, a room that may be locked up; con- + clavis'' key. See clavicle

The set of apartments within which the cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church are continuously secluded while engaged in choosing a pope.
The group of Roman Catholic cardinals locked in a conclave until they elect a new pope; the body of cardinals

It was said a cardinal, by reason of his apparent likelihood to step into St. Peter's chair, that in two conclaves he went in pope and came out again cardinal. — South?
A private meeting; a close or secret assembly.

The verdicts pronounced by this conclave (Johnson's Club) on new books, were speedily known over all London. — William Macaulay

To be in conclave: to be engaged in a secret meeting; -- said of several, or a considerable number of, persons.

Conclave may refer to:

Papal conclave, a meeting of the College of Cardinals to elect the Pope.
Conclave: A Journal of Character, a literary journal focused on character-driven writing and photography.
ConClave (convention), an annual science fiction convention in southeastern/central Michigan
section conclave, a regional activity of the Order of the Arrow
A little hole or cavity in a wall.
Conclave (film), 2006 film

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