congress

noun

con·​gress ˈkäŋ-grəs How to pronounce congress (audio)
 also  -rəs,
 British usually  ˈkäŋ-ˌgres
1
a
: the act or action of coming together and meeting
b
: coitus
2
: a formal meeting of delegates for discussion and usually action on some question
the Congress of Vienna
3
: the supreme legislative body of a nation and especially of a republic
the Congress of the United States
4
: an association usually made up of delegates from constituent organizations
the World Energy Congress
5
: a single meeting or session of a group
congressional
kən-ˈgresh-nəl How to pronounce congress (audio)
kän-
-ˈgre-shə-nᵊl
adjective
congressionally adverb

Examples of congress in a Sentence

She was recently elected to the country's congress. the congresses of Mexico and Chile The bill easily passed both houses of Congress. Congress is not currently in session.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
At the same time, the city continues to grow as a MICE destination, hosting congresses, fairs, and international events in venues like the City of Arts and Sciences or Feria València. Visit València, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2025 The letter follows members of the UN’s human rights council in calling for Israel’s suspension from football, while the PFA has done so at the last two FIFA congresses. Ali Rampling, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025 Compared to their forerunners in the tsarist era, with their party congresses held abroad, their executive committees, and their active recruitment in imperial Russia’s universities, Soviet dissidents remained a comparatively small and informal conglomeration of activists. Benjamin Nathans september 24, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2025 Zionists settled other differences by the same democratic method in later congresses. Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for congress

Word History

Etymology

Latin congressus, from congredi to come together, from com- + gradi to go — more at grade entry 1

First Known Use

1528, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of congress was in 1528

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Congress.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/congress. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

congress

noun
con·​gress ˈkäŋ-grəs How to pronounce congress (audio)
1
: a formal meeting of delegates for discussion and action
2
: the chief lawmaking body of a nation and especially of a republic that in the U.S. is made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives
3
: an association of organizations having a common interest
congressional
kən-ˈgresh-nəl
-ən-ᵊl
adjective
congressionally
adverb

Medical Definition

congress

noun
con·​gress
ˈkäŋ-grəs also -rəs, British usually ˈkäŋ-ˌgres
: coitus

Legal Definition

congress

noun
con·​gress
1
: a formal meeting of delegates
2
a
: the supreme legislative body of a nation and especially a republic
b
capitalized : the legislative branch of the United States government
specifically : the U.S. House of Representatives
3
capitalized
a
: the U.S. legislature as it is composed for an enumerated two-year period
the 101st Congress
b
: a single session of the U.S. legislature see also house of representatives, senate
congressional adjective
congressionally adverb
Etymology

Latin congressus meeting, encounter, from congredi to approach, meet

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