congress

noun

con·​gress ˈkäŋ-grəs 

 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 

kän-

-ˈgre-shə-nᵊl

adjective

congressionally adverb

Synonyms

• parliament

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

The governing Camogie Association has called a special congress on May 22 to discuss the issue, but last year the same body rejected two proposals that would have authorized shorts. —Ken Maguire, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2025

Full Story Von der Leyen rips Trump’s ‘unpredictable tariff policy’ President Trump’s tariffs will rattle countries across the world, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Tuesday at the European People’s Party annual congress in Valencia. —Sylvan Lane, The Hill, 29 Apr. 2025

More than 20 speakers from 13 nations are contributing to the 2025 congress, with worship led by Grammy winner Michael W. Smith, Charity Gayle and top Christian artists from across Europe. —Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 29 May 2025

The statement, made after a PKK congress in northern Iraq last week, echoes a February call to lay down arms by PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, who has been imprisoned by Turkey since 1999. —Scott Peterson, Christian Science Monitor, 13 May 2025

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

Phrases Containing congress

• congress person

Kids Definition

congress

noun

con·​gress ˈkäŋ-grəs 

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

-ē

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