assembly

[ uh-sem-blee ]

noun

, plural as·sem·blies.

1. an assembling or coming together of a number of persons, usually for a particular purpose:

   The principal will speak to all the students at Friday's assembly.

   Synonyms: meeting, congress, gathering, assemblage

2. a group of persons gathered together, usually for a particular purpose, whether religious, political, educational, or social.

   Synonyms: throng, meeting, congress, gathering, assemblage

3. (often initial capital letter) Government. a legislative body, especially the lower house of the legislature in certain states of the U.S.:

   a bill before the assembly; the New York State Assembly.

   Synonyms: congress

4. Military.
   1. a signal, as by drum or bugle, for troops to fall into ranks or otherwise assemble.
   2. the movement of forces, tanks, soldiers, etc., scattered by battle or battle drill, toward and into a small area.
5. the putting together of complex machinery, as airplanes, from interchangeable parts of standard dimensions.
6. Machinery. a group of machine parts, especially one forming a self-contained, independently mounted unit. Compare subassembly.

Assembly

¹

/ əˈsɛmblɪ /

noun

1. the lower chamber in various American state legislatures See also House of Assembly legislative assembly National Assembly
2. short for General Assembly

assembly

²

/ əˈsɛmblɪ /

noun

1. a number of people gathered together, esp for a formal meeting held at regular intervals
2. the act of assembling or the state of being assembled
3. the process of putting together a number of parts to make a machine or other product
4. machinery a group of mating components before or after fitting together
5. military
   1. a signal for personnel to assemble, as by drum, bugle, etc
   2. ( as modifier )

      an assembly area

Other Words From

• preas·sembly noun plural preassemblies
• reas·sembly noun plural reassemblies
• self-as·sembly noun plural selfassemblies

Word History and Origins

Origin of assembly¹

1275–1325; Middle English assemblee < Middle French, literally, (that which is) assembled, feminine past participle of assembler to assemble

Synonym Study

See convention.