congregate

C1 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈkɑːŋgrəˌgeɪt/ UK /ˈkɒŋɡɹəɡeɪt/ See IPA manual

Freq #38672

Meanings

1

verb
to come together in a group, usually for a particular purpose

Crowds congregated in the square to hear the speech.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to come together in a... assemble gather flock collect

Word family

Forms congregatedcongregatescongregating

Derived forms congregativecongregatorrecongregateuncongregated

Related forms congregation

Simplified etymology

Congregate entered English in the late Middle English period from Latin congregare, meaning ‘to collect into a herd or flock’ and hence ‘to unite’. The verb derives from Latin grex, ‘herd’ or ‘flock’.

Etymology

The adjective is first attested in 1400–1450, in Middle English, the verb c. 1513; from Middle English congregat(e) (“(of people) banded together; (of liquids) accumulated; (of muscles) contracted; (of wounds) closed up”), borrowed from Latin congregātus, perfect passive participle of congregō (“to congregate”) (see -ate (etymology 1, 2 and 3), from con- (“with, together”) + gregō (“to collect into a flock”), from grex (“flock, herd”). See gregarious and egregious. Participial usage of the adjective up until Early Modern English.

*h₂ger- Proto-Indo-European congregat Middle English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# congregate

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈkɑːŋgrəˌgeɪt/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈkɒŋɡɹəɡeɪt/
**Frequency rank:** 38672

## Meanings
1. to come together in a group, usually for a particular purpose

## Examples
- Crowds congregated in the square to hear the speech.

## Derived Forms
- congregative
- congregator
- recongregate
- uncongregated

## Related Forms
- congregation

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *h₂ger-
- Root: congregat

## Etymology
The adjective is first attested in 1400–1450, in Middle English, the verb c. 1513; from Middle English congregat(e) (“(of people) banded together; (of liquids) accumulated; (of muscles) contracted; (of wounds) closed up”), borrowed from Latin congregātus, perfect passive participle of congregō (“to congregate”) (see -ate (etymology 1, 2 and 3), from con- (“with, together”) + gregō (“to collect into a flock”), from grex (“flock, herd”). See gregarious and egregious. Participial usage of the adjective up until Early Modern English.

## AI Etymology
Congregate's adjective is first attested in 1400–1450, in Middle English, the verb c. 1513; from Middle English congregat(e) (“(of people) banded together; (of liquids) accumulated; (of muscles) contracted; (of wounds) closed up”), borrowed from Latin congregātus, perfect passive participle of congregō (“to congregate”) (see -ate (etymology 1, 2 and 3), from con- (“with, together”) + gregō (“to collect into a flock”), from grex (“flock, herd”). See gregarious and egregious. Participial usage of the adjective up until Early Modern English. In present-day use, it means to come together in a group, usually for a particular purpose.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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