gathering

1 of 2

noun

gath·​er·​ing ˈga-t͟hə-riŋ 

ˈgat͟h-

plural gatherings

1

: a coming together of people in a group (as for social, religious, or political purposes) : assembly, meeting

an informal gathering

a gathering of world leaders

planned a big family gathering

2

: the collecting of food or raw materials from the wild

Hunting and gathering also added to the food supply. Wild fruits, berries and mollusks were gathered …

—Barbara A. Leitch

… peoples who raise domesticated animals and who do not depend on hunting, gathering, or the planting of their own crops …

—Marvin Harris

3

: collection, compilation

4

: a gather in cloth

5

: a suppurating swelling : abscess

gathering

2 of 2

present participle of gather entry 1

Synonyms of gathering

Noun

• assembly
• meeting
• assemblage
• conference

Examples of gathering in a Sentence

Noun

I see my cousins only at occasional family gatherings.

dinner parties and other social gatherings

a gathering of political leaders

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Community members, including many teenagers, hugged and supported each other during the emotional gathering. — Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 21 Sep. 2026

Meanwhile, Iran's top diplomat will stop in Qatar on his way to the United Nations' annual gathering of world leaders,and the head of the CIA has been in Egypt meeting with its president. — Arkansas Online, 21 Sep. 2026

Inside the bar, several locals mourned the potential loss of a community gathering space that’s been around even longer. — Antonio Ferme, Variety, 20 Sep. 2026

Two men were killed and two others were injured in a shooting at a large gathering in southeast Fort Worth early Sunday, police said. — Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English gaderyng, gederunge, going back to Old English gadrung, gædrung, gegaderung, gegadrung "joining, union, assembly," from gadrian, gaderian "to join, unite, gather entry 1" + -ung -ing entry 3

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for gathering

• ingathering

Kids Definition

gathering

noun

1

: assembly sense 1, meeting

2

: a pus-filled swelling (as an abscess)

3

: the collecting of food and raw materials from the wild

4

: collection sense 2a

5

: a gather in cloth

Medical Definition

gathering

noun

gath·​er·​ing

: a suppurating swelling : abscess