CONGEST

Congest is a verb meaning to crowd or fill to excess, or to cause something to become blocked or slowed. It can describe physical crowding, such as vehicles on a road, or the overloading of a system, pathway, or passage.

In medicine, nasal congestion refers to blockage of the nasal passages due to inflammation of mucous membranes, often with swelling, mucus production, and reduced airflow. Causes include infections, allergies, and irritants. Treatments range from decongestants and saline sprays to humidification; attention to underlying conditions is common.

In transportation, traffic congestion occurs when demand for roadway capacity exceeds supply, resulting in slower speeds and longer trip times. Common causes are high vehicle volumes, incidents, lane reductions, and spatial bottlenecks. Mitigation strategies include congestion pricing, expanded transit options, real-time traffic management, and road design improvements.

In computer networks, congestion arises when data packets vie for limited bandwidth, leading to latency, jitter, and packet loss. Causes include sudden traffic spikes, inadequate routing, or constrained links. Solutions involve congestion control algorithms, traffic shaping, and quality-of-service mechanisms; networks may also employ buffering and admission control.

The term derives from Latin con- 'together' and gerere 'to bear', entering English via Old French and Middle English. The related noun congestion and adjective congested are common in medicine, transportation, and technology contexts.