# congregation

Pronunciation: US say "kong-gruh-GAY-shuhn" /ˌkɑŋɡɹəˈɡeɪʃən/; UK say "kong-gri-GAY-shuhn" /ˌkɒŋɡɹɪˈɡeɪʃən/

## Noun

1. A gathering of worshippers in a church, synagogue, mosque, or other house of worship; also, the people attending a service, as distinct from the clergy or choir who lead it.
   - Simple: The group of people who come together in a church, mosque, temple, or other place to worship.
   - _The rabbi asked the congregation to rise for the final blessing._
   - _A small congregation gathered in the chapel despite the snowstorm._
2. An organized religious body whose members meet regularly for worship, or the members themselves considered as a group.
   - Simple: A group of people who belong to the same church, synagogue, or mosque and worship there together.
   - _The congregation voted to hire a new pastor at its annual meeting._
   - _Three congregations in the valley merged after decades of shrinking attendance._
3. The act or process of gathering or collecting together in one place.
   - Simple: The act of coming together in one place as a group.
   - _The congregation of protesters near the capitol prompted officials to close several streets._
   - _Researchers studied the congregation of dust particles around the young star._
4. Any sizable gathering of people assembled in one place, regardless of the occasion.
   - Simple: Any large group of people gathered together in one place.
   - _A noisy congregation of reporters formed outside the courthouse before the verdict._
   - _The festival drew a congregation of food vendors, musicians, and curious locals._
5. A main department of the Vatican administration of the Catholic Church, known formally as a Roman Congregation.
   - Simple: One of the main offices that help run the Catholic Church from the Vatican.
   - _Each congregation in the Roman Curia oversaw a specific area of church governance._
   - _The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith reviewed the theologian's writings before publication._
6. The main body of university staff, comprising academics, administrative staff, the heads of colleges, and other senior members. *(UK)*
   - Simple: At Oxford University, the main group of people who work there, including teachers and office staff.
   - _Congregation approved the new degree regulations at its meeting last week._
   - _Every member of congregation received notice of the vote on the proposed statute._
7. A flock of birds of certain species, such as plovers or eagles, gathered together.
   - Simple: A group of some kinds of birds, such as eagles, when they gather together.
   - _A congregation of plovers wheeled over the mudflats at low tide._
   - _Photographers gathered to capture the congregation of bald eagles feeding along the Alaskan river._

## Origin

This word comes through Middle English congregacioun and Old French congregacion from Latin congregātiō, from congregō ('to herd into a flock'). In the 1520s the English Bible translator William Tyndale adopted it to render the Ancient Greek ἐκκλησία (ekklēsía, 'those called together, a meeting'), and 16th-century Reformers preferred it to the word 'church.'

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/congregation (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).