convention

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   something regarded as a normative example

   the convention of not naming the main character

2. 2
   noun

   a large formal assembly

   political convention

3. 3
   noun

   A meeting or gathering.

   The convention was held in Geneva.

4. 4
   noun

   A formal deliberative assembly of mandated delegates.

   The EU installed an inter-institutional Convention to draft a European constitution.

5. 5
   noun

   A treaty or supplement to such.

   The Vienna convention at the Vienna Congress (1814-15) standardized most of diplomatic conduct for generations.

6. 6
   noun

   A practice or procedure widely observed in a group, especially to facilitate social interaction; a custom.

   Table seatings are generally determined by tacit convention, not binding formal protocol.

7. 7
   noun

   the act of convening

8. 8
   noun

   orthodoxy as a consequence of being conventional

Etymology

Recorded since about 1440, borrowed from Middle French convention, from Latin conventiō (“meeting, assembling; agreement, convention”), from conveniō (“come, gather or meet together, assemble”), from con- (“with, together”) + veniō (“come”). Equivalent to convene + -tion.