congress

C2+ Topic:Law & Government

US /ˈkɑŋɡrəs/ UK /ˈkɒŋɡrɛs/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
a formal assembly of representatives, or a coming together

Delegates from forty nations attended the scientific congress.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a formal assembly of... assembly convention conference council gatheringconvocationsynod

Word family

Derived forms congressional congressmancongresswomancongressperson

Related forms progress egress ingress aggression regress

Simplified etymology

Congress comes from Latin congressus, from congredi “meet,” literally “walk together.” In late Middle English it could mean an encounter in battle, while broader senses involving a coming together developed from the same idea.

Etymology

From Latin congressus ('a meeting, encounter'), from congredi ('to come together, meet'), from con- ('together') + gradi ('to walk, step'), from gradus ('step').

congressus Latin gradi Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Law & Government Word Formation & Derivatives Register & Style

External links

# congress

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

## Meanings
1. a formal assembly of representatives, or a coming together

## Examples
- Delegates from forty nations attended the scientific congress.

## Synonyms
- assembly
- convention
- conference
- council
- gathering
- convocation
- synod

## Derived Forms
- congressional
- congressman
- congresswoman
- congressperson

## Related Forms
- progress
- egress
- ingress
- aggression
- regress

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: congressus
- Root: gradi

## Etymology
From Latin congressus ('a meeting, encounter'), from congredi ('to come together, meet'), from con- ('together') + gradi ('to walk, step'), from gradus ('step').

## AI Etymology
Congress is a noun meaning "a formal assembly of representatives, or a coming together". Historically, it is from Latin congressus ('a meeting, encounter'), from congredi ('to come together, meet'), from con- ('together') + gradi ('to walk, step'), from gradus ('step'). The visible construction is part of the etymology: congress is not just an unanalyzed simple word. The historical chain links Latin congressus with Latin gradi. Close English family members include congressional, congressman, congresswoman, congressperson, and progress.

## Topics
- Law & Government
- Word Formation & Derivatives
- Register & Style

markdown