Definition

Noun: 1. An assembly or gathering of witches: A coven is a formal group or community of individuals who practice witchcraft together, traditionally believed to consist of thirteen members. 2. A close-knit group with a shared, often secretive, interest or purpose: By extension, the term can be used metaphorically to describe any small, intimate group perceived as having a private or exclusive bond, sometimes with a negative or mysterious connotation.

Usage Examples

• Literal meaning:
  • The young witch sought initiation into the local coven.
  • Legend says the coven meets in the forest under the full moon.
• Metaphorical meaning:
  • The powerful executives formed a secretive coven that controlled the company's major decisions.
  • Her book club felt less like a reading group and more like an exclusive coven.

Advanced Usage

• "To be in a coven": To be a member of a witches' coven.
  • She has been in a coven for over a decade, studying herbal magic.
• "Coven meeting": A scheduled gathering of a coven.
  • The monthly coven meeting was held to celebrate the solstice.

Variants and Related Words

• Covenant (noun): A formal and binding agreement or promise. While the words share a Latin root (, meaning "to come together"), their meanings are distinct. A is a pact, whereas a is a group.
  • The two nations signed a peace covenant.

Synonyms

• Assembly (a group of people gathered for a specific purpose).
• Circle (a group of people with a shared interest).
• Coterie (a small, exclusive group of people with shared interests).
• Cabal (a secret political clique or faction, often with conspiratorial connotations).

Related Phrases

• High Priestess/Priest of a coven: The leader of a coven.
  • As the High Priestess, she guided the rituals of the coven.
• Covenstead: The regular meeting place of a coven.
  • Their covenstead was a small cottage at the edge of town.

Noun

1. an assembly of witches; usually 13 witches