Congest

/kənˈdʒɛst/ verb

Definition

To fill or crowd something so full that it becomes blocked or difficult to move through.

Etymology

From Latin congestus, past participle of congerere 'to bring together,' from con- 'together' and gerere 'to carry.' It originally meant 'to heap up' and evolved to mean 'to accumulate or crowd.'

Kelly Says

During rush hour, traffic congestus—medieval Latin for 'heaped together'—becomes a concrete traffic jam; the same word root describes your lungs filling with fluid during a cold!

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