congress

congress — noun

1. a large, organized gathering where people chosen by different countries, profess

1.nounB2
Definition

a large, organized gathering where people chosen by different countries, professional groups, or organizations come together to talk about shared topics and exchange ideas

Example

The International Congress of Linguists brings together language scholars from over fifty countries.

congress + of + [field] for a professional gathering

Ryo presented his research findings at the annual medical congress in Seoul last March.

Common collocations
  • hold a congress
  • attend a congress
  • annual congress
  • international congress
  • congress of + [field]
Synonyms
  • conference

    more general and often shorter than a congress; congress usually implies larger, more formal gatherings with international representatives

  • convention

    typically used for members of a specific profession or interest group, often with a commercial or social element

  • assembly

    a broad term for any group of people gathered for a purpose; less structured than a congress

  • summit

    a high-level meeting of leaders, usually political, not a large gathering of many delegates

Grammar Patterns

congress + of + [group/organization]

2. the physical act of two people having sex with each other — a very formal term t

2.nounC1
Definition

the physical act of two people having sex with each other — a very formal term that is now rarely used outside old books, legal documents, or technical writing

Example

In 19th-century legal texts, the phrase 'carnal congress' referred to sexual intercourse between married couples.

dated formal usage in legal contexts

Kemi found 'congress' used as a clinical term for sex in an old medical journal.

Common collocations
  • carnal congress
  • sexual congress
  • congress between
Synonyms
  • intercourse

    the more common formal term for sex; still used in medical and educational contexts

  • coitus

    a strictly medical or biological term; more technical and even rarer in general use

Usage Note

This meaning of 'congress' is very formal and sounds old-fashioned to most English speakers today. In everyday conversation and modern writing, people use 'sex' or 'sexual intercourse' instead. Learners should be able to recognize this sense when reading older or technical texts but avoid using it themselves in speech or informal writing.

Common Mistakes

They had congress last night.
They had sex last night.
Using 'congress' to mean sex sounds extremely odd and dated in everyday English.

3. the US government body that creates national laws, with elected officials in two

3.nounB2
Definition

the US government body that creates national laws, with elected officials in two chambers — the lower chamber (the House) and the upper chamber (the Senate) — whose members draft, debate, and approve federal legislation

Example

The US Congress voted on a new law raising the minimum wage to fifteen dollars.

Congress + verb for legislative action

Bilal is studying American politics and learning how Congress works alongside the President.

Common collocations
  • act of Congress
  • session of Congress
  • member of Congress
  • Congress passes/approves/rejects
  • joint session of Congress
  • Congressional committee

Grammar Patterns

Congress + verb (passes, votes, approves, rejects, debates)

Usage Note

Always capitalize 'Congress' when it refers to the US government institution. A lowercase 'c' (congress) signals the formal meeting sense instead. Individual members are called 'members of Congress' (MCs), 'congressmen', or 'congresswomen'. The two parts of Congress are the Senate (upper house) and the House of Representatives (lower house).

Common Mistakes

The congress passed the bill.
Congress passed the bill.
When referring to the US legislature, 'Congress' must always start with a capital letter.
Congress is made of the House of Commons and the Senate.
Congress is made of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Canada and the UK have different systems; the US Congress has the House of Representatives, not the House of Commons.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

A 'congress' is a large, formal gathering of delegates from different countries or organizations, typically held regularly (e.g., the International Congress of Linguists). A 'conference' is the most general term and can range from small workshops to large events; it is less formal than a congress and may last only a day or two. A 'convention' often brings together members of a profession, political party, or fan community and may include exhibitions or social activities. 'Assembly' is a broad term for any group of people gathered for discussion, without the structured delegate system of a congress. 'Summit' is reserved for high-level meetings of leaders (presidents, CEOs) — smaller in number but higher in rank. For example: a country sends delegates to an international congress, attends a medical conference, holds a party convention, and sends its president to a climate summit.

conference ↗convention ↗assembly ↗summit ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • session of congress
  • member of congress

Phrases

  • to hold a congress
  • to attend a congress

Prepositions

  • in congress
  • before congress
  • during congress

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Congress traces back to the Latin word 'congressus', which means 'a coming together'. It was formed by combining 'com-' (together) and 'gradi' (to step or walk). English borrowed the word from French in the 1500s, first using it for any kind of meeting or encounter. By the 1600s, it had taken on the political meaning of a formal gathering of representatives. The specific use for the US legislature — 'Congress' with a capital C — dates from the late 1700s, when the newly founded United States named its lawmaking body after this tradition.