TRYSTS
In the most general sense, a tryst is a meeting at an agreed time and place. More usually we consider a tryst to be a pre-arranged meeting between lovers. The term comes from the Old French “triste”, a waiting place designated when hunting. Further, a tryst taking place at lunchtime is sometimes referred to as a nooner.
“Trysts” typically refers to secret or romantic meetings between individuals. It is not a term commonly associated with sessions of Congress. The term more appropriately used for sessions of Congress would be “sessions” or “congressional sessions.”
In the context of the United States Congress, a “session” refers to the period during which Congress assembles and conducts its business. Each Congress is divided into two sessions: the first session typically begins in January of odd-numbered years, and the second session begins in January of even-numbered years.
Each session is further divided into terms, with each term lasting two years. For example, the 117th Congress had two sessions: the first session started in January 2021, and the second session started in January 2022.
So, the correct term for the periods of legislative activity in Congress would be “sessions,” not “trysts.”
