konventti

Konventti is a Finnish noun with several related meanings derived from the Latin conventus. The most common sense is a convent in the religious sense: a house or community of monks or nuns, or the building that houses them. In Finnish usage, konventti can refer to the congregation of a religious order, including not only the physical house but the community itself. In Catholic and Orthodox contexts, konventti may denote a monastery or a convent, and can also refer to a chapter or regulatory assembly of the order.

A second meaning is a formal assembly or meeting. In secular use, konventti can mean a convention, congress, or council, especially a formal gathering of members of an association, party, or organization, or a constitutional convention in historical contexts.

Etymology: the word comes from Latin conventus “assembly, gathering,” from com- “together” + venire “to come.” The term retains religious nuance but is widely used for non-religious gatherings as well.

Usage: in Finnish, konventti is used in religious literature and historical writings; in contemporary language it may describe formal meetings or gatherings of organizations or political bodies. The plural form is konventit, and the possessive is konventin.

See also: convent; konventti as a term for a monastic house; conventus (Latin).

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