covent
n. countable C2 Proficiency US //ˈkəvənt// covent
n. an old word for a group of people living in a religious house, like a monastery or nunnery. It is the original form of the modern word 'convent'.
n. a religious community or the building it inhabits; the archaic spelling and etymological precursor to 'convent'. Typically refers to a body of monks or nuns under one roof.
The ancient covent stood quietly in the valley.
Historical records from the medieval period mention a small covent of monks who farmed the local lands.
In several Middle English manuscripts, the term covent is employed to describe not just the stone cloisters, but the entire collective spiritual family residing within.
Usage
Archaic spelling; almost entirely replaced by 'convent' in modern English.