gathering
1 of 2noun
gath·er·ing ˈga-t͟hə-riŋ 
ˈgat͟h-
plural gatherings
1
: a coming together of people in a group (as for social, religious, or political purposes) : assembly, meeting
an informal gathering
a gathering of world leaders
planned a big family gathering
2
: the collecting of food or raw materials from the wild
Hunting and gathering also added to the food supply. Wild fruits, berries and mollusks were gathered …
Barbara A. Leitch
Barbara A. Leitch… peoples who raise domesticated animals and who do not depend on hunting, gathering, or the planting of their own crops … Marvin Harris
Marvin Harris3
: collection, compilation
4
: a gather in cloth
5
: a suppurating swelling : abscess
gathering
2 of 2present participle of gather entry 1
Synonyms
Noun
- assemblage
- assembly
- conference
- congregation
- convocation
- ingathering
- meeting
- muster
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun I see my cousins only at occasional family gatherings. dinner parties and other social gatherings a gathering of political leaders
Recent Examples on the Web Felicia Campbell, USA TODAY, 4 Sep. 2022 These recipes from cookbook author and nutritionist Robin Miller are easy to make and tried-and-true crowd pleasers perfect for your next casual gathering. Felicia Campbell, The Arizona Republic, 2 Sep. 2022 Finding the right recipes for your weekend gathering is hard work. Zach Wade, CNN, 2 Sep. 2022 Coconut-Pumpkin Soup Want to turn up the heat at your Halloween gathering? Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Aug. 2022 Days later, the Taliban held their own public gathering in Kabul to mark a year in power. Susannah George, Washington Post, 26 Aug. 2022 Advisers expect the topic of reelection will be a major discussion point when the family gathers for their traditional Thanksgiving gathering in Nantucket, and/or around Christmas. Mike Memoli, NBC News, 22 Aug. 2022 Enjoy these tomatoes at your next summertime gathering or any time of the year. Bethany Thayer, Detroit Free Press, 13 Aug. 2022 Well, now Emeril is going to help one lucky football fan win that fight at his next gathering. Jacob Siegal, BGR, 10 Aug. 2022 See More
Noun
These recipes from cookbook author and nutritionist Robin Miller are easy to make and tried-and-true crowd pleasers perfect for your next casual gathering. Felicia Campbell, USA TODAY, 4 Sep. 2022 These recipes from cookbook author and nutritionist Robin Miller are easy to make and tried-and-true crowd pleasers perfect for your next casual gathering. Felicia Campbell, The Arizona Republic, 2 Sep. 2022 Finding the right recipes for your weekend gathering is hard work. Zach Wade, CNN, 2 Sep. 2022 Coconut-Pumpkin Soup Want to turn up the heat at your Halloween gathering? Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Aug. 2022 Days later, the Taliban held their own public gathering in Kabul to mark a year in power. Susannah George, Washington Post, 26 Aug. 2022 Advisers expect the topic of reelection will be a major discussion point when the family gathers for their traditional Thanksgiving gathering in Nantucket, and/or around Christmas. Mike Memoli, NBC News, 22 Aug. 2022 Enjoy these tomatoes at your next summertime gathering or any time of the year. Bethany Thayer, Detroit Free Press, 13 Aug. 2022 Well, now Emeril is going to help one lucky football fan win that fight at his next gathering. Jacob Siegal, BGR, 10 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English gaderyng, gederunge, going back to Old English gadrung, gædrung, gegaderung, gegadrung "joining, union, assembly," from gadrian, gaderian "to join, unite, gather entry 1" + -ung -ing entry 3
First Known Use
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
gathering
noun
gath·er·ing
ˈga-t͟hə-riŋ
: an occasion when people come together as a group
a family gathering
Medical Definition
gathering
noun
gath·er·ing
: a suppurating swelling : abscess
gatherings
noun
1
as in assemblies
a body of people come together in one place the President spoke before the gathering of student leaders Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- assemblies
- meetings
- conferences
- assemblages
- congregations
- audiences
- convocations
- panels
- synods
- symposiums
- rallies
- ingatherings
- crowds
- throngs
- symposia
- musters
- markets
- coteries
- companies
- swarms
- flocks
- caucuses
- houses
- gangs
- forums
- multitudes
- consorts
- fora
- hordes
- grandstands
- packs
- galleries
- mobs
- legions
- rabbles
- crushes
- rabblements
- presses
2
as in meetings
a coming together of a number of persons for a specified purpose attended a gathering for descendants of people who came to America on the Mayflower Synonyms & Similar Words
- meetings
- conventions
- conclaves
- assemblies
- get-togethers
- congresses
- convocations
- conferences
- workshops
- rallies
- synods
- seminars
- councils
- symposiums
- demonstrations
- sessions
- huddles
- discussions
- conversations
- caucuses
- dialogues
- summits
- clinics
- negotiations
- discourses
- cabinets
- interviews
- symposia
- forums
- audiences
- talks
- roundtables
- confabs
- dialogs
- parleys
- palavers
- fora
- round tables
- round-robins
3
as in collections
a mass or quantity that has piled up or that has been gathered over a period of time a great gathering of dust under the bed Synonyms & Similar Words
- collections
- accumulations
- mixtures
- masses
- assemblages
- cumulations
- piles
- jumbles
- mixes
- assortments
- pileups
- lodgments
- lodgements
- accretions
- heaps
- conglomerates
- medleys
- cumuli
- hodgepodges
- conglomerations
- aggregations
- potpourris
- congeries
- mélanges
- hoards
- supplies
- mishmashes
- agglomerates
- agglomerations
- aggregates
- litters
- inventories
- funds
- hashes
- hotchpotches
- motleys
- stockpiles
- totalities
- sums
- clutters
- caches
- stores
- nest eggs
- reserves
- kitties
- backlogs
- stocks