congress
UK /ˈkɒŋˌɡɹɛs/ · US /ˈkɑŋɡɹəs/ noun, verb, proper noun
Forms congresses congressing congressed the Congress
- noun A formal gathering or assembly of persons; a conference held to discuss or decide on a specific question.
- noun (often capitalized) A legislative body of a state, originally the bicameral legislature of the United States of America.
- noun An association, especially one consisting of other associations or representatives of interest groups. “the National Congress of American Indians”
- noun (dated) Coitus: sexual intercourse.
- noun (archaic) A coming together of two or more people; a meeting.
- noun (rare, countable, collective) A group of baboons.
- verb (intransitive) To assemble together.
- verb To meet in a congress.
- proper noun (US politics) The two legislative bodies of the United States: the House of Representatives and the Senate. “The bill was stewarded through Congress to the President.”
- proper noun (Philippine politics) The legislature of the Philippines.
- proper noun (more specifically) The House of Representatives of the Philippines.
- proper noun A census-designated place in Yavapai County, Arizona, United States.
- proper noun A village in Wayne County, Ohio, United States.
- proper noun A hamlet in the Rural Municipality of Stonehenge, No. 73, Saskatchewan, Canada.
- noun (US) A two-year session of the Congress, commencing after a Federal election and ending before the next one.
Synonyms
assembly legislature parliament federation confederation sexual congress flange congregate Capitol Hill INC United States Congress U.S. Congress US Congress sexual intercourse intercourse sex act copulation coitus coition sexual relation relation carnal knowledge
Etymology
From Latin congress(um), the past participle of congredior (“to go, come together”), itself from con- + gradior (“to go, step”). The verb is from the noun.
Compare typologically coven, convent, convention, omitting several steps, from con- + veniō, Russian сход (sxod), схо́дка (sxódka), akin to сходи́ться (sxodítʹsja), ходи́ть (xodítʹ). Also compare Czech sjezd, Russian съезд (sʺjezd), akin to съезжа́ться (sʺjezžátʹsja), е́здить (jézditʹ). Also compare conference.
From congress.
Webster’s 1913
- noun A meeting of individuals, whether friendly or hostile; an encounter. [Obs.]
- noun A sudden encounter; a collision; a shock; --said of things.
Etymology [L. congressus, fr. congredi, p.p. -gressus, to go or come together; con- + grati to go or step, gradus step: cf. F. congr. See Grade.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “congress”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details