Congress Meaning
/ˈkɑŋɡɹəs/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA formal gathering or assembly of persons; a conference held to discuss or decide on a specific question.
nounA legislative body of a state, originally the bicameral legislature of the United States of America.
Sentence Examples
It's a sop to Congress.
Congress went into recess.
Farmers will lobby Congress for higher subsidies.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The national ____ debated the new tax reform bill yesterday.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The controversial new tax bill was officially passed by ____ after months of heated debate.
Word Origin & History
From Latin congress(um), the past participle of congredior (“to go, come together”), itself from con- + gradior (“to go, step”). The verb is from the noun. Compare typologically coven, convent, convention, omitting several steps, from con- + veniō, Russian сход (sxod), схо́дка (sxódka), akin to сходи́ться (sxodítʹsja), ходи́ть (xodítʹ). Also compare Czech sjezd, Russian съезд (sʺjezd), akin to съезжа́ться (sʺjezžátʹsja), е́здить (jézditʹ). Also compare conference.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Republicans have their own high stakes in November. Losing control of Congress, they say, could mean a highly politicized impeachment of their president."
— 2018 January 27, Sheryl Gay Stolberg, Nicholas Fandos, “As Gridlock Deepens in Congress, Only Gloom Is Bipartisan”, in The New York Times:
"Welsh ponies, I learn from a man who has had much experience with these animals, habitually produce erections and emissions in their stalls; they do not bring their hind quarters up during this process, and they close their eyes, which does not take place when they have congress with mares."
— 1927, Havelock Ellis, Studies in the Psychology of Sex, Volume 1 (of 6):
"Not three weeks before this he was run out of Fort Smith Arkansas for having congress with a goat. Yes lady, that is what I said. Goat."
— 1985, Cormac McCarthy, chapter 1, in Blood Meridian […] , →OCLC:
"[…] the council hall stank like a congress of baboons."
— 1966, Philip José Farmer, “Riverworld”, in Down in the Black Gang and Others, Garden City, NY: Nelson Doubleday, published 1971, page 79:
"Two regular sessions of our federal legislative body are called a Congress, and Congresses have been numbered consecutively since the first one met in 1789. The first two sessions were called the first Congress; […]"
— 1946, Emil F. Faith, Richard Gibbs Browne, Our Civic Life and Progress, Mentzer, Bush & Company, page 248:
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CEFR Practice Quiz
The national ____ debated the new tax reform bill yesterday.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The controversial new tax bill was officially passed by ____ after months of heated debate.