congregate
/ˈkɒŋɡɹəɡeɪt/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.92 in modern English
14
Scrabble Score
10
Letters
3
Syllables
8
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
To collect into an assembly or assemblage; to bring into one place, or into a united body.
Transitive verb
adj
Example Sentences
- "Any multitude of Christian men congregated may be termed by the name of a church."
- "The great receptacle Of congregated waters he called Seas."
- "Cold congregates all bodies."
- "And here I would observe, that love of admiration seems scarcely to be properly appreciated; it is the only bond of society—we could not otherwise endure each other. It is the true source of the sublime, and, my conscience obliges me to add, of the ridiculous. Still, it is the strong necessity of admiring each other, and the being admired in our turn, that has built cities, congregated multitudes, and organised what we call our present state of civilisation."
- "Even there where merchants most do congregate."
- "VVith all the Gods about him congregate:"
Etymology
The adjective is first attested in 1400–1450, in Middle English, the verb c. 1513; from Middle English congregat(e) (“(of people) banded together; (of liquids) accumulated; (of muscles) contracted; (of wounds) closed up”), borrowed from Latin congregātus, perfect passive participle of congregō (“to congregate”) (see -ate (etymology 1, 2 and 3), from con- (“with, together”) + gregō (“to collect into a flock”), from grex (“flock, herd”). See gregarious and egregious. Participial usage of the adjective up until Early Modern English.
Origin
- Source language: Middle English
- First known use: first attested in 1400–1450
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- British English: /ˈkɒŋɡɹəɡeɪt/
Usage
Inflected Forms
congregates (present, singular)
congregating (participle, present)
congregated (participle, past)
congregated (past)
more congregate (comparative)
most congregate (superlative)
congregates (canonical)