noun

1. a congregating or being congregated
2. a gathering of people or things; assemblage
3. an assembly of people for religious worship or teaching
4. the members of a particular place of worship
5. ☆ a settlement, town, or parish in the colonies of early New England where Congregationalism was established
6. Bible the whole body or assembly of Israelites
7. R.C.Ch.
   1. any of certain religious communities following a common rule
   2. a division of an order, made up of a group of monasteries
   3. a committee, as of cardinals, in charge of some department of church affairs

Etymology: ME congregacioun < OFr congregation or L congregatio, an assembling (in ML(Ec), religious community)