congregational
Americanadjective
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of or relating to a congregation.
congregational singing.
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(initial capital letter) pertaining or adhering to a form of Protestant church government in which each local church acts as an independent, self-governing body, while maintaining fellowship with like congregations.
adjective
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of or relating to a congregation
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(usually capital) of, relating to, or denoting the Congregational Church, its members, or its beliefs
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of congregational
First recorded in 1570–80; congregation + -al 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Neither chatbots nor celebrities can replace the relational work of a pastor or the congregational nature of worship.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 14, 2026
The month of fasting usually last about 30 days and concludes with the festival of Eid-al-Fitr, which is a time of family celebrations following congregational prayers.
From BBC ● Mar. 1, 2025
Eid is marked with congregational prayers and festivities that typically include family visits, gatherings and new clothes.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 5, 2024
He served as the congregational rabbi there for 24 years and remained a member of the congregation until he moved into a senior living residence in Canton in 2017.
From New York Times ● Apr. 28, 2023
“He’s just a country boy in school up there. He dont mean any harm. I think the marshal’ll find it’s a mistake. His father’s a congregational minister.”
From "The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
