noun
coven
KUHV-uhn
noun
1
A group or gathering of witches.
"The novel's villain leads a secret coven of witches."
"The coven met at midnight under the full moon."
2
More loosely, any small, tight-knit group with shared interests, sometimes used with a slightly sinister or gossipy tone.
"A coven of critics gathered backstage after the show."
How to Use Coven
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA gathering of witches, or informally, any close-knit clique.
Common pairings
a coven of witches
join a coven
Word Forms
covens plural
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The novel's villain leads a secret _____ of witches.
Etymology
From Old French covent, ultimately from Latin conveniō ("to come together") — it's actually a doublet of the word "convent," which took a more religious path in meaning.