assembly

/əˈsɛmbli/

/əˈsɛmbli/

Other forms: assemblies

Use the noun assembly to refer group of people meeting up for a mutual purpose, such as a church service.

Often used to describing a gathering of people, the word assembly can also refer to putting something together, such as a machine or a piece of furniture. No matter if the individual components are people or objects, assembly implies a bringing together. You may be familiar with the term "freedom of assembly," which is considered a basic human right. It means that people are free to peacefully gather together to protest the government, to worship, to hold a public meeting . . . or even to play poker. This allows people to exchange information and pursue mutual goals.

Definitions of assembly

1. noun

   a group of persons who are gathered together for a common purpose
   types:

   general assembly, law-makers, legislative assembly, legislative body, legislature

   persons who make or amend or repeal laws

   Areopagus

   the highest governmental assembly in ancient Athens (later a judicial court)

   States General

   assembly of the estates of an entire country especially the sovereign body of the Dutch republic from 16th to 18th centuries

   chapter

   an ecclesiastical assembly of the monks in a monastery or even of the canons of a church

   deliberative assembly

   an assembly of people for the purpose of unhurried consideration and discussion

   council

   (Christianity) an assembly of theologians and bishops and other representatives of different churches or dioceses that is convened to regulate matters of discipline or doctrine

   chamber

   a deliberative or legislative or administrative or judicial assembly

   Bench

   the magistrate or judge or judges sitting in court in judicial capacity to compose the court collectively

   court, judicature, tribunal

   an assembly (including one or more judges) to conduct judicial business

   coven

   an assembly of witches; usually 13 witches

   sabbat, witches' Sabbath

   a midnight meeting of witches to practice witchcraft and sorcery; in the Middle Ages it was supposed to be a demonic orgy

   court, court of justice, court of law, lawcourt

   a tribunal that is presided over by a magistrate or by one or more judges who administer justice according to the laws

   senate

   assembly possessing high legislative powers

   Congress, U.S. Congress, US Congress, United States Congress

   the legislature of the United States government

   house

   an official assembly having legislative powers

   legislative council

   a unicameral legislature

   Estates General

   assembly of the estates of all France; last meeting in 1789

   General Assembly

   the supreme deliberative assembly of the United Nations

   International Court of Justice, World Court

   a court established to settle disputes between members of the United Nations

   ecumenical council

   (early Christian church) one of seven gatherings of bishops from around the known world under the presidency of the Pope to regulate matters of faith and morals and discipline

   Constantinople, Fourth Council of Constantinople

   the council in 869 that condemned Photius who had become the patriarch of Constantinople without approval from the Vatican, thereby precipitating the schism between the eastern and western churches

   Lateran Council

   any of five general councils of the Western Catholic Church that were held in the Lateran Palace

   First Council of Lyons, Lyons

   the council of the Western Church in 1245 that excommunicated Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II and planned a new crusade against the Holy Land

   Lyons, Second Council of Lyons

   the council in 1274 that effected a temporary reunion of the Greek Orthodox with the Roman Catholic Church

   Council of Vienne, Vienne

   the council in 1311-1313 that dealt with alleged crimes of the Knights Templar, planned a new crusade, and took on the reformation of the clergy

   Constance, Council of Constance

   the council in 1414-1418 that succeeded in ending the Great Schism in the Roman Catholic Church

   Council of Basel-Ferrara-Florence

   the council in 1431-1439 that concentrated on the elimination of heresies and on reforms within the Roman Catholic Church

   Council of Trent

   a council of the Roman Catholic Church convened in Trento in three sessions between 1545 and 1563 to examine and condemn the teachings of Martin Luther and other Protestant reformers; redefined the Roman Catholic doctrine and abolished various ecclesiastical abuses and strengthened the papacy

   Vatican Council

   each of two councils of the Roman Catholic Church

   congress

   a national legislative assembly

   diet

   a legislative assembly in certain countries (e.g., Japan)

   parliament

   a legislative assembly in certain countries

   Duma

   a legislative body in the ruling assembly of Russia and of some other republics in the former USSR

   appeals court, appellate court, court of appeals

   a court whose jurisdiction is to review decisions of lower courts or agencies

   assizes, court of assize, court of assize and nisi prius

   the county courts of England (replaced in 1971 by Crown courts)

   chancery, court of chancery

   a court with jurisdiction in equity

   consistory

   a church tribunal or governing body

   criminal court

   a court having jurisdiction over criminal cases

   divorce court

   a court having jurisdiction over the termination of marriage contracts

   court of domestic relations, domestic relations court, family court

   a court in some states in the United States that has jurisdiction over family disputes (especially those involving children)

   federal court

   a court establish by the authority of a federal government

   F.I.S.C., Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court

   a secret federal court created in 1978 by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act; responsible for authorizing wiretaps and other forms of electronic surveillance and for authorizing searches of suspected spies and terrorists by the Department of Justice or United States intelligence agencies

   inferior court, lower court

   any court whose decisions can be appealed to a higher court

   Inquisition

   a former tribunal of the Roman Catholic Church (1232-1820) created to discover and suppress heresy

   juvenile court

   a court having jurisdiction over dependent and delinquent children

   kangaroo court

   an irregular unauthorized court

   military court

   a judicial court of commissioned officers for the discipline and punishment of military personnel

   moot court

   a mock court where law students argue hypothetical cases

   police court

   a court that has power to prosecute for minor offenses and to bind over for trial in a superior court anyone accused of serious offenses

   probate court

   a court having jurisdiction over the probate of wills and the administration of estates

   quarter sessions

   a local court with criminal jurisdiction and sometimes administrative functions

   Rota

   (Roman Catholic Church) the supreme ecclesiastical tribunal for cases appealed to the Holy See from diocesan courts

   Star Chamber

   a former English court that became notorious for its arbitrary methods and severe punishments

   superior court

   any court that has jurisdiction above an inferior court

   high court, state supreme court, supreme court

   the highest court in most states of the United States

   traffic court

   a court that has power to prosecute for traffic offenses

   trial court

   the first court before which the facts of a case are decided

   type of:

   assemblage, gathering

   a group of persons together in one place
2. noun

   the social act of assembling
   “they demanded the right of assembly”

   synonyms: assemblage, gathering

   antonyms:

   disassembly

   the act of taking something apart (as a piece of machinery)

   types:

   mobilisation, mobilization

   act of marshaling and organizing and making ready for use or action

   calling together, convocation

   the act of convoking

   coming together, meeting

   the social act of assembling for some common purpose

   congregating, congregation

   the act of congregating

   convening, convention

   the act of convening

   concentration

   bringing together military forces

   economic mobilisation, economic mobilization

   mobilization of the economy

   rallying

   the act of mobilizing for a common purpose

   rendezvous

   a meeting planned at a certain time and place

   session

   a meeting devoted to a particular activity

   socialisation, socialising, socialization, socializing

   the act of meeting for social purposes

   visit

   the act of going to see some person in a professional capacity

   visit

   the act of visiting in an official capacity (as for an inspection)

   visit, visitation

   the act of going to see some person or place or thing for a short time

   type of:

   group action

   action taken by a group of people
3. noun

   a public facility to meet for open discussion
   synonyms: forum, meeting place

   type of:

   facility, installation

   a building or place that provides a particular service or is used for a particular industry
4. noun

   the act of constructing something (as a piece of machinery)
   synonyms: fabrication

   antonyms:

   disassembly

   the act of taking something apart (as a piece of machinery)

   type of:

   building, construction

   the act of constructing something
5. noun

   a group of machine parts that fit together to form a self-contained unit
   types:

   sub-assembly

   a unit assembled separately but designed to fit with other units in a manufactured product

   weldment

   an assembly of parts welded together

   type of:

   machine

   any mechanical or electrical device that transmits or modifies energy to perform or assist in the performance of human tasks
6. noun

   a unit consisting of components that have been fitted together
   type of:

   unit, whole

   an assemblage of parts that is regarded as a single entity