CONGREGATION, noun 1. The act of bringing together, or assembling. 2. A collection or assemblage of separate things; as a congregation of vapors. 3. More generally, an assembly or persons; and appropriately, an assembly of persons met for the worship of God, and for religious instruction. 4. An assembly of rulers. Numbers 35:12. 5. An assembly of ecclesiastics or cardinals appointed by the pope; as the congregation of the holy office, etc. Also, a company or society of religious cantoned out of an order. 6. An academical assembly for transacting business of the university.
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI