ENGLISH
REFERENCE

congress

n. C / U
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈkɑŋɡɹəs// con·gress Archaic

n. the group of people who are elected to make the laws in the United States. It is made up of two parts: the Senate and the House of Representatives.

n. the national legislative body of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. When used in a general sense, it refers to a formal meeting or series of meetings between delegates.


SIMPLE

Congress is voting on the new tax law today.

CONTEXTUAL

The president needs the support of Congress to pass the proposed budget for the next fiscal year.

COMPLEX

While the executive branch enforces the law, Congress holds the power of the purse and the authority to declare war, maintaining a critical check on presidential power.

Synonyms
Origin

From congress.

Usage

When referring to the U.S. legislative body, it is usually capitalized and treated as a singular collective noun. In the sense of a formal meeting or assembly, it is countable and often lowercase.

Idioms3 entries

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