Editing Convocation (section)

{{short description|Formal assembly (typically ecclesiastical or academic)}}
{{redirect|Convocations|the Sufjan Stevens album|Convocations (album)}}{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{more citations needed|date=October 2011}}
[[File:Graduation ceremony with Azim Premji.JPG|thumb|300px|right|Student receiving academic degree from [[Azim Premji]] during convocation. [[Adi Godrej]] in background.]]
{{Wiktionary|convocation}}
A '''convocation''' (from the [[Latin]] ''[[wikt:convocare|convocare]]'' meaning "to call/come together", a translation of the [[Ancient Greek|Greek]] [[wikt:ἐκκλησία|ἐκκλησία]] ''ekklēsia'') is a group of people formally assembled for a special purpose, mostly ecclesiastical or academic. The Britannica dictionary defines it as "a large formal meeting of people (such as church officials)".<ref>{{Cite web |title=convocation |url=https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/convocation#:~:text=formal-,1,often%20used%20before%20another%20noun}}</ref> 

In academic use, it can refer variously to the formal body of an institution's alumni or to a ceremonial assembly of the university, particularly at a graduation or commencement ceremony but, at some institutions, for a ceremony at the start of the academic year to welcome incoming students.