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congress

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Who is Your Congressman?
Next Generation of GOP Leadership McCarthy Represents You in Congress
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con⋅gress

  [n. kong-gris; v. kuhn-gres, kuhng-]
Use congress in a Sentence
–noun
1. (initial capital letter)
a. the national legislative body of the U.S., consisting of the Senate, or upper house, and the House of Representatives, or lower house, as a continuous institution.
b. this body as it exists for a period of two years during which it has the same membership: the 96th Congress.
c. a session of this body: to speak in Congress.
2. the national legislative body of a nation, esp. of a republic.
3. a formal meeting or assembly of representatives for the discussion, arrangement, or promotion of some matter of common interest.
4. the act of coming together; an encounter; meeting.
5. an association, esp. one composed of representatives of various organizations.
6. familiar relations; dealings; intercourse.
7. coitus; sexual intercourse.
–verb (used without object)
8. to assemble together; meet in congress.
Origin:
1350–1400 for earlier sense “body of attendants, following”; 1520–30 for current senses; ME < L congressus assembly, intercourse, meeting, equiv. to congred(ī) to approach, meet (con- con- + -gredī, comb. form of gradī to step; cf. grade ) + -tus suffix of v. action

Synonyms:
3. conference, council, convention.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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The Congress at Amazon
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Who is Your Congressman?
Next Generation of GOP Leadership McCarthy Represents You in Congress
www.McCarthyforCongress.com
con·gress   (kŏng'grĭs)   
n.  

  1. A formal assembly of representatives, as of various nations, to discuss problems.

  2. The national legislative body of a nation, especially a republic.

  3. Congress

    1. The national legislative body of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

    2. The two-year session of this legislature between elections of the House of Representatives.

    3. The act of coming together or meeting.

    4. A single meeting, as of a political party or other group.

    1. The act of coming together or meeting.

    2. A single meeting, as of a political party or other group.

  5. Sexual intercourse.


[Middle English congresse, body of attendants, from Latin congressus, meeting, from past participle of congredī, to meet : com-, com- + gradī, to go; see ghredh- in Indo-European roots.]
con·gres'sion·al (kən-grěsh'ə-nəl, kəng-) adj., con·gres'sion·al·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Cultural Dictionary

Congress

The legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the House of Representatives and the Senate. Popularly elected, senators and representatives are responsible for advocating the interests of the constituents they represent. Numerous congressional committees are organized to study issues of public policy, recommend action, and, ultimately, pass laws. Congress plays an important role in the system of checks and balances; in fact, the two-house (bicameral) organization of Congress acts as an internal check, for each house must separately vote to pass a bill for it to become a law. In addition to lawmaking, Congress has a variety of functions, including appropriation of funds for executive and judicial activities; instituting taxes and regulating commerce; declaring war and raising and supporting a military; setting up federal courts and conducting impeachment proceedings; and approving presidential appointments.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

congress 
1528, from L. congressus "a meeting, hostile encounter," pp. of congredi "meet with, fight with," from com- "together" + gradi "to walk," from gradus "a step" (see grade). Sense of "meeting of delegates" is first recorded 1678. Meaning "sexual union" is from 1589. Used in ref. to the national legislative body of the American states since 1775 (though since 1765 in America as a name for proposed bodies).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: con·gress
Function: noun
Etymology: Latin congressus meeting, encounter, from congredi to approach, meet
1 : a formal meeting of delegates
2 a : the supreme legislative body of a nation and esp. a republic b cap : the legislative branch of the United States government; specifically : the U.S. House of Representatives
3 cap a : the U.S. legislature as it is composed for an enumerated two-year period Congress> b : a single session of the U.S. legislature —see also HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE Article I of the CONSTITUTION in the back matter —con·gres·sion·al adjective —con·gres·sion·al·ly adverb
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: con·gress
Pronunciation: 'kä[ng]-gr&s also -r&s, Brit usu 'kä[ng]-"gres
Function: noun
: COITUS
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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