congested
UK[kənˈdʒestɪd]US[kənˈdʒestɪd]
adj
(of a road or place) so crowded with traffic or people as to hinder or prevent freedom of movement.
adj
(of a part of the body) abnormally full of blood or other fluid.
Morpheme Breakdown
con
gest
ed
con
together
gest
carry, bring
ed
adjective suffix
Etymology
the word "congested" originates from the latin verb congerere, meaning "to bring together, heap up, accumulate". this verb is composed of the prefix con- (together) and the verb gerere (to carry). the past participle form, congestus, meaning "heaped up, crowded", passed into english via the latin participle. the medical sense of being abnormally full of fluid developed in the 17th century from the core idea of an accumulation or crowding within a vessel or organ. thus, the literal notion of "carrying things together into a pile" evolved into the modern abstract meanings of overcrowded spaces or bodily tissues.
Analysis
Structure: con (together) + gest (carry, bring) + ed (adjective suffix)
- con: a latin prefix meaning "together, with".
- gest: from latin gerere (to carry, bear, conduct), appearing in english as the bound root "-gest".
- ed: an english suffix forming adjectives from verbs or nouns, indicating a state or condition.
Examples
the city center is heavily congested during the morning rush hour.
his nose was congested from a severe cold.
investment in public transport is needed to ease the congested roads.