SKIP TO CONTENT

coven

/ˈkʌvən/
/ˈkʌvɪn/
IPA guide

Other forms: covens

A group of witches is called a coven. In books, a coven of witches often gather at night to make potions and cast spells.

The mythology of witches has them meeting under cover of night, often in mysterious groups of 13. Although there are only three of them, the "weird sisters" in Shakespeare's play "Macbeth" could be considered a coven. To people who follow the contemporary religion called Wicca, a coven is a gathering, no different from a congregation in Christianity. The word coven arose in the mid-1600s, ultimately from the Latin root conventus, "assembly."

Definitions of coven
  1. noun
    an assembly of witches; usually 13 witches
    see moresee less
    type of:
    assembly
    a group of persons who are gathered together for a common purpose
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago

Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘coven'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family