covenant

C2+ Topic:Word Formation & Derivatives

US /ˈkʌvənənt/ UK /ˈkʌvənənt/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
a solemn, binding agreement or promise

The two nations signed a covenant of mutual defense.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a solemn, binding agreement... agreement pact compact contract pledge treaty bond

Word family

Derived forms covenantercovenantal

Related forms convene convention convenient

Simplified etymology

Covenant entered English in the Middle English period with the meaning ‘an agreement’. It shares its origin with convent, which came through Old French from Latin conventus, ‘an assembly or company’, based on convenire, ‘to come together’.

Etymology

From Old French 'covenant' ('agreement'), present participle of 'covenir' ('to agree, come together'), from Latin 'convenire', from 'com-' ('together') plus 'venire' ('to come').

covenant Old French convenire Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Word Formation & Derivatives General Vocabulary

External links

# covenant

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈkʌvənənt/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈkʌvənənt/

## Meanings
1. a solemn, binding agreement or promise

## Examples
- The two nations signed a covenant of mutual defense.

## Synonyms
- agreement
- pact
- compact
- contract
- pledge
- treaty
- bond

## Derived Forms
- covenanter
- covenantal

## Related Forms
- convene
- convention
- convenient

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: covenant
- Root: convenire

## Etymology
From Old French 'covenant' ('agreement'), present participle of 'covenir' ('to agree, come together'), from Latin 'convenire', from 'com-' ('together') plus 'venire' ('to come').

## AI Etymology
Covenant is from Old French 'covenant' ('agreement'), present participle of 'covenir' ('to agree, come together'), from Latin 'convenire', from 'com-' ('together') plus 'venire' ('to come'). The ancestry passes through Old French covenant and Latin convenire. In present use as noun and verb, it means "a solemn, binding agreement or promise", keeping the historical formation close to the word's ordinary semantic work. Related words include convene, convention, and convenient; derived forms include covenanter and covenantal.

## Topics
- Word Formation & Derivatives
- General Vocabulary

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