Congregation
collective noun /ˌkɒŋɡrɪˈɡeɪʃən/ — A group of alligators — and also what most other groups call themselves when they gather formally.
Definition
The collective noun for a group of alligators. The word is also the standard English word for an assembly, especially a religious one — which makes its application to alligators quietly amusing.
Beyond the definition
There's an irony in calling a group of alligators a congregation — it grants them a solemnity they probably don't feel. But there is something about alligators in a group that does feel deliberate, almost formal, compared to the chaos of, say, a pandemonium.
Origin & history
From Latin congregare — to gather into a flock (con- 'together' + gregare 'to flock', from grex 'flock, herd'). The religious sense developed from 'gathered faithful'. The alligator sense borrows the formality — ironically or aptly, depending on the group.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
A congregation of alligators occupied the marsh with the stillness of statues.
He referred to the board meeting as a congregation, then said nothing more.
There is something formal about alligators in a group that earns the name.
How to use it
Follow this entry’s examples for grammatical form and sentence placement.
Choose “Congregation” when the meaning fits your context: The collective noun for a group of alligators. The word is also the standard English word for an assembly, especially a religious one — which makes its application to alligators quietly amusing.
Synonyms
bask, float, group
Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Word in focus
A congregation of alligators
A congregation of alligators rested on the muddy bank.
Congregation names a gathering of alligators. The photograph shows two American alligators resting together, not crocodiles or animals hunting as a team.
Image credit: Matthew Field · CC BY-SA 3.0 (license)
Resized and converted to WebP; full composition retained.
Questions about this word
What does "Congregation" mean?
Congregation is collective noun meaning: A group of alligators — and also what most other groups call themselves when they gather formally.. The collective noun for a group of alligators. The word is also the standard English word for an assembly, especially a religious one — which makes its application to alligators quietly amusing.
Where does the word "Congregation" come from?
From Latin congregare — to gather into a flock (con- 'together' + gregare 'to flock', from grex 'flock, herd'). The religious sense developed from 'gathered faithful'. The alligator sense borrows the formality — ironically or aptly, depending on the group.