bicameral

adjective

bi·​cam·​er·​al (ˌ)bī-ˈkam-rəl 

-ˈka-mə-

government : having, consisting of, or based on two legislative chambers (see chamber entry 1 sense 4a)

a bicameral legislature comprised of the House of Representatives and the Senate

bicameralism

(ˌ)bī-ˈkam-rə-ˌli-zəm

-ˈka-mə- 

noun

Examples of bicameral in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Our bipartisan, bicameral delegation just returned from 10 days of deep and honest dialogue with our partners in Australia and the Pacific Island Countries. —Chris Coons, Time, 3 Sep. 2025

Their heartbreaking testimony in the bicameral committee hearing also led some committee members to cry. —Suzanne Gamboa, NBC news, 20 Aug. 2025

Collins also talked to House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole, R-Okla., over the weekend — a sign of bicameral coordination. —Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 29 July 2025

But as both chambers fall behind in their annual funding work, some are already expecting a stopgap measure will be needed to prevent a shutdown in October to buy Congress more time to strike an eventual bicameral funding deal for fiscal 2026. —Aris Folley, The Hill, 10 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

bi- entry 1 + Late Latin camera chamber — more at chamber

First Known Use

circa 1832, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for bicameral

• unicameral

Kids Definition

bicameral

adjective

bi·​cam·​er·​al (ˈ)bī-ˈkam-(ə-)rəl 

: consisting of two legislative chambers

a bicameral legislature

Medical Definition

bicameral

adjective

bi·​cam·​er·​al (ˈ)bī-ˈkam-(ə-)rəl 

: having two chambers

Legal Definition

bicameral

adjective

bi·​cam·​er·​al ˌbī-ˈka-mə-rəl 

: having, consisting of, or based on two legislative chambers

a bicameral legislature

bicameralism

ˌbī-ˈka-mə-rə-ˌli-zəm 

noun

bicamerality

ˌbī-ˌka-mə-ˈra-lə-tē

noun