What does gathering mean?
Gathering is both a noun and a verb, with the related adjective meaning “increasing” or “accumulating.” As a noun, it can refer to a meeting or an assembly of people, as at a family gathering, or to a collection of objects or information. It can also name the act of bringing scattered items together. As a verb, gathering means collecting, assembling, or convening: people gather for an event, or a researcher gathers evidence. In figurative and intransitive uses, it describes something growing or coming together, as when support gathers or a storm gathers. The word is common in formal, professional, and everyday contexts and is useful because it links a physical action—bringing separate items or people together—with social and abstract ideas such as community, evidence, support, and momentum.
An assembly of people, an organized meeting, a collected group of things, or the act and process of assembling or collecting.
"The charity organized a gathering where families could meet local support services."
A gathering is usually countable when it means a meeting or assembled group. In the abstract sense of collecting or assembling, it can be uncountable.
To collect or accumulate something, to assemble people in one place, or to increase and come together.
"Volunteers gathered supplies before the storm reached the town."
The word functions transitively, as in “gather evidence,” and intransitively, as in “support gathers.” Figurative uses are common.
Increasing, developing, or accumulating, especially in reference to a storm, gloom, or momentum.
"A gathering storm forced the hikers to seek shelter."
This participial adjective is normally used before a noun, though it may occasionally occur predicatively.
The regular plural is used for separate meetings, assemblies, or collected groups. The abstract process of gathering is generally uncountable.
"Several gatherings were held throughout the year to discuss the proposed development."
From an Old English word associated with companions and people coming together, gathering has always expressed the power of separate people or things forming one group.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does gathering come from?
“Gather” comes from Old English gaderian, meaning “to come together” or “assemble,” and is related to Old English gad, “companion” or “people together.” It has cognate relatives in languages including Old Norse, where gaddi meant “companion.” The modern senses developed from the long-established idea of collecting individual things and of people assembling in one place.
Related word forms
How gathering is actually used
The countable noun usually refers to a meeting or assembled group, while the abstract noun can describe the process of collecting or assembling. The verb is neutral in register and is used both literally and figuratively. The adjective is chiefly attributive and describes something steadily increasing or accumulating.