CONGREGATION

noun a collection or mass of separate things.

2. congregation ·noun a company of religious persons forming a subdivision of a monastic order.

3. congregation ·noun the whole body of the jewish people;

— called also congregation of the lord.

4. congregation ·noun the act of congregating, or bringing together, or of collecting into one aggregate or mass.

5. congregation ·noun the assemblage of masters and doctors at oxford or cambrige university, mainly for the granting of degrees.

6. congregation ·noun the name assumed by the protestant party under john knox. the leaders called themselves (1557) lords of the congregation.

7. congregation ·noun an assembly of persons; a gathering; ·esp. an assembly of persons met for the worship of god, and for religious instruction; a body of people who habitually so meet.

8. congregation ·noun a body of cardinals or other ecclesiastics to whom as intrusted some department of the church business; as, the congregation of the propaganda, which has charge of the missions of the roman catholic church.