Convocatio

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A formal assembly or gathering of individuals for a specific purpose, especially in academic or religious contexts
2. An organized meeting called to discuss matters of importance or to make decisions, often involving leaders or representatives
3. A summons to come together for a designated reason, typically related to institutional affairs or communal events

Etymology: "Convocatio" is Latin for "a calling together," built from "convocare," "to call together," which combines "com-" ("together") with "vocare" ("to call"), from "vox," "voice." The same root gives English "vocal," "vocation" and "advocate." A "convocatio" was a formal summons of people, and the word is used in English for the meeting that results from such a call. In the Church of England, "convocation" names the assembly of clergy that meets alongside Parliament, and the word has long carried that ecclesiastical sense. Universities borrowed the same idea: a convocation is a gathering of graduates or officers of a university, often held to confer degrees or to elect a chancellor. The word's core meaning has stayed the same throughout: someone issues a call, and people answer by coming together.

Synonyms: assembly, convocation, meeting