congress
/ˈkɒŋ.ɡres/ (bre, ipa) · [kˈɑŋɡrəs] /ˈkɑːŋ.ɡres/ (ame, ipa) · [kˈɑŋɡrəs] /ˈkäŋ-grəs also -rəs British usually ˈkäŋ-ˌgres/ (ame, mw)
congress — noun
- congresssingular
- congressesplural
1. a large, organized gathering where people chosen by different countries, profess
a large, organized gathering where people chosen by different countries, professional groups, or organizations come together to talk about shared topics and exchange ideas
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.
Over four thousand teachers attended the education congress to discuss new classroom methods.
More than two hundred delegates attended the world climate congress in Geneva this autumn.
- 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
文法句型
congress + of + [group/organization]
2. the physical act of two people having sex with each other — a very formal term t
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
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.
The biology textbook explained that the word 'congress' sometimes describes mating behaviour in animals.
Nineteenth-century novels sometimes used 'congress' as a polite term for the act of sex.
- 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
用法筆記
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.
常見錯誤
3. the US government body that creates national laws, with elected officials in two
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
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.
Each year, the President delivers a speech to a joint session of Congress in January.
The committee is gathering data before reporting its findings to Congress.
文法句型
Congress + verb (passes, votes, approves, rejects, debates)
用法筆記
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).