congregational
Americanadjective
-
of or relating to a congregation.
congregational singing.
-
(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
-
of or relating to a congregation
-
(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
That devotion connected her to the earliest traditions of organized American music-making , the congregational singing in colonial churches that was served by the country’s first composers.
From New York Times • Jan. 10, 2024
He’s bringing in floral arrangements to decorate the synagogue on the big day, and he’s paying for the congregational Kiddush, which is like a mini lunch after the service is over.
From "Linked" by Gordon Korman
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.
