Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
congregation (noun)1.
a) an assembly of persons - gathering , especially an assembly of persons met for worship and religious instruction
b) a religious community as
(1) an organized body of believers in a particular locality
(2) a Roman Catholic religious institute with only simple vows
(3) a group of monasteries forming an independent subdivision of an order
2.
the act or an instance of or bringing together the state of being - congregating congregated
3.
a body of cardinals and officials forming an administrative division of the papal curia
Merriam-Webster Online Thesaurus
congregation (noun)1.
a body of persons gathered for religious worship
SYNONIMS:
assembly, churchRELATED WORDS:
flock, laity, parish; communion, confession, denomination, fold, sect2.
a body of people come together in one place
SYNONIMS:
assemblage, assembly, conference, congregation, convocation, ingathering, meeting, musterRELATED WORDS:
company, consort, coterie, gang, pack; caucus, forum, market, panel, rally, symposium, synod; audience, gallery, grandstand, house; crowd, flock, horde, legion, multitude, press, swarm, throng; crush, mob, rabble, rabblement