Congregation
/ˌkɒŋ.ɡrɪˈɡeɪ.ʃən/noun
A group of people assembled for religious worship.
Did you know?The term 'congregation' stems from a Latin word meaning 'to gather together,' but in ancient rituals, gatherings often involved powerful, sometimes dangerous rites of passage.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
congregatio
“A coming together, assembly; used in the context of religious gatherings.”
Old French
Old French
congregacion
“Adaptation of Latin, maintaining the meaning of an assembly or group.”
Middle English
Middle English
congregacioun
“Adoption of the term into English, retaining its religious connotation.”
Modern English
English
congregation
“The term evolves to denote more specifically a group gathered for worship or religious observance.”
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