2
: a natural or artificial enclosed space or cavity
3
a
: a hall for the meetings of a deliberative, legislative, or judicial body
the senate chamber
b
: a room where a judge transacts business
—usually used in plural
c
: the reception room of a person of rank or authority
4
a
: a legislative or judicial body
especially
: either of the houses of a bicameral legislature
b
: a voluntary board or council
5
a
: the part of the bore of a gun that holds the charge
b
: a compartment in the cartridge cylinder of a revolver
chambered; chambering
ˈchām-b(ə-)riŋ 
1
: to place in or as if in a chamber : house
2
: to serve as a chamber for
especially
: to accommodate in the chamber of a firearm
: being, relating to, or performing chamber music
Synonyms
Examples of chamber in a Sentence
Noun
If the batteries are not properly installed in the chamber of the remote control, it won't work.
There are four chambers in the human heart.
We waited for the senator outside the Senate chamber.
The U.S. legislature is separated into two chambers: the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Verb
chambered the lost hikers in the barn until the next morning
Recent Examples on the Web
Liz Goodwin, Washington Post, 10 Apr. 2024
The Georgia Republican filed a motion to vacate Johnson just before the chamber broke for recess.
—Sarah Beth Hensley, ABC News, 9 Apr. 2024
In the past, security was minimal, and the chamber was often full of empty seats unless there was a controversial rezoning agenda item.
—Sarah Lapidus, The Arizona Republic, 8 Apr. 2024
But even if such a resolution passed in both chambers, the president could veto it.
—Edward Wong, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2024
Photo : Reymond Langton Therapy at Sea Kismet is one of only a handful of yachts to have a cryotherapy chamber on board and possibly the first chromotherapy bathtub.
—Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 5 Apr. 2024
From The Tudors to The Crown, the past few decades have brought an endless stream of period dramas that promise to reveal what was really happening in the courts—and particularly the bed chambers—of English and British monarchs dating back to the Middle Ages.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
The measure has yet to be voted on by either chamber.
—Jonathan Shorman and, Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2024
Dorsey is also joining a wave of federal lawsuits around religious rights in the execution chamber.
—Keri Blakinger, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024
John Molseed, Twin Cities, 5 Feb. 2024
Jurors also saw a video that the shooter took of himself in the family home, loading a magazine into a gun, then chambering a round.
—Gina Kaufman, Detroit Free Press, 26 Jan. 2024
The standard model has a black synthetic stock and detachable magazine, and is chambered for seven popular cartridges.
—Michael Dickerson, Outdoor Life, 10 Apr. 2023
Gun companies are making single-shots, semi-autos, and bolt-actions chambered for it.
—T. Logan Metesh, Field & Stream, 4 Jan. 2024
Ashley is left-handed, so this year John bought her a left-hand Tikka rifle chambered in 243 Winchester.
—Bryan Hendricks, arkansasonline.com, 10 Dec. 2023
The rifle is chambered for seven popular cartridges.
—Mike Dickerson, Field & Stream, 19 July 2023
Depending on the chambering, the rifle weighs 6.2 to 6.4 pounds.
—Mike Dickerson, Field & Stream, 19 July 2023
It was chambered in the new M14 U.S. Service Rifle in 1957 and saw duty in Korea and Vietnam, with soldiers undoubtedly appreciating its lighter recoil.
—Ron Spomer, Outdoor Life, 5 July 2023
Brian Amaral, BostonGlobe.com, 6 Apr. 2023
Brennan immediately dictated a note, and a terse exchange of letters on the afternoon of March 27, 1978, sent to the entire conference—all justices receiving a copy—may mark a low point in the history of intra-chamber correspondence at the Supreme Court.
—J.c. Hallman, The New Republic, 11 June 2020
With less than a week and a half left in the legislative session, bills to crack down on police officers with histories of misconduct have been caught in the crosshairs of inter-chamber tensions and are in danger of not passing.
—James Barragán, San Antonio Express-News, 21 May 2021
One of those plugs incorporates a passive pre-chamber ignition system.
—Mike Duff, Car and Driver, 9 Sep. 2020
If there is any doubt of this technology's value, know that Formula 1 engines use pre-chamber ignition.
—Mike Duff, Car and Driver, 9 Sep. 2020
Maserati has employed a dual-spark-plug configuration with an innovative pre-chamber combustion system integrated into the cylinder heads.
—David Beard, Car and Driver, 2 July 2020
Noun
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) delayed until Monday the impeachment trial of the first sitting Cabinet member in history, responding to the concern of some conservatives worried about launching a Senate trial on the same day the chamber is scheduled to depart for the week.
—Liz Goodwin, Washington Post, 10 Apr. 2024
The Georgia Republican filed a motion to vacate Johnson just before the chamber broke for recess.
—Sarah Beth Hensley, ABC News, 9 Apr. 2024
In the past, security was minimal, and the chamber was often full of empty seats unless there was a controversial rezoning agenda item.
—Sarah Lapidus, The Arizona Republic, 8 Apr. 2024
But even if such a resolution passed in both chambers, the president could veto it.
—Edward Wong, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2024
Photo : Reymond Langton Therapy at Sea Kismet is one of only a handful of yachts to have a cryotherapy chamber on board and possibly the first chromotherapy bathtub.
—Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 5 Apr. 2024
From The Tudors to The Crown, the past few decades have brought an endless stream of period dramas that promise to reveal what was really happening in the courts—and particularly the bed chambers—of English and British monarchs dating back to the Middle Ages.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
The measure has yet to be voted on by either chamber.
—Jonathan Shorman and, Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2024
Dorsey is also joining a wave of federal lawsuits around religious rights in the execution chamber.
—Keri Blakinger, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024
Verb
Jose Gutierrez Ojeda initially brandished a pistol and appeared to rack the firearm to chamber a round.
—John Molseed, Twin Cities, 5 Feb. 2024
Jurors also saw a video that the shooter took of himself in the family home, loading a magazine into a gun, then chambering a round.
—Gina Kaufman, Detroit Free Press, 26 Jan. 2024
The standard model has a black synthetic stock and detachable magazine, and is chambered for seven popular cartridges.
—Michael Dickerson, Outdoor Life, 10 Apr. 2023
Gun companies are making single-shots, semi-autos, and bolt-actions chambered for it.
—T. Logan Metesh, Field & Stream, 4 Jan. 2024
Ashley is left-handed, so this year John bought her a left-hand Tikka rifle chambered in 243 Winchester.
—Bryan Hendricks, arkansasonline.com, 10 Dec. 2023
The rifle is chambered for seven popular cartridges.
—Mike Dickerson, Field & Stream, 19 July 2023
Depending on the chambering, the rifle weighs 6.2 to 6.4 pounds.
—Mike Dickerson, Field & Stream, 19 July 2023
It was chambered in the new M14 U.S. Service Rifle in 1957 and saw duty in Korea and Vietnam, with soldiers undoubtedly appreciating its lighter recoil.
—Ron Spomer, Outdoor Life, 5 July 2023
Adjective
And what sort of legislative horse trading will have to happen to make the always-complex inter-chamber politics between the House and Senate work?
—Brian Amaral, BostonGlobe.com, 6 Apr. 2023
Brennan immediately dictated a note, and a terse exchange of letters on the afternoon of March 27, 1978, sent to the entire conference—all justices receiving a copy—may mark a low point in the history of intra-chamber correspondence at the Supreme Court.
—J.c. Hallman, The New Republic, 11 June 2020
With less than a week and a half left in the legislative session, bills to crack down on police officers with histories of misconduct have been caught in the crosshairs of inter-chamber tensions and are in danger of not passing.
—James Barragán, San Antonio Express-News, 21 May 2021
One of those plugs incorporates a passive pre-chamber ignition system.
—Mike Duff, Car and Driver, 9 Sep. 2020
If there is any doubt of this technology's value, know that Formula 1 engines use pre-chamber ignition.
—Mike Duff, Car and Driver, 9 Sep. 2020
Maserati has employed a dual-spark-plug configuration with an innovative pre-chamber combustion system integrated into the cylinder heads.
—David Beard, Car and Driver, 2 July 2020
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'chamber.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English chambre, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin camera, from Latin, arched roof, from Greek kamara vault
First Known Use
Noun
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
1568, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Adjective
1706, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of chamber was
in the 13th century
Phrases Containing chamber
Articles Related to chamber
Dictionary Entries Near chamber
Cite this Entry
“Chamber.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chamber. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
chamber
1 of 2 noun
cham·ber
ˈchām-bər
1
: a room in a house and especially a bedroom
2
: an enclosed space or compartment
the chamber of a pistol
the chambers of the heart
3
a
: a meeting hall of a government body (as an assembly)
b
: a room where a judge conducts business out of court
—usually used in plural
4
a
: a group of people organized into a lawmaking body
the lower chamber of the legislature
b
: a board or council of volunteers (as businesspeople)
Etymology
Noun
Middle English chambre "chamber," from early French chambre (same meaning), from Latin camera "room, chamber" — related to camera
Medical Definition
chamber
noun
cham·ber
ˈchām-bər
: an enclosed space within the body of an animal see anterior chamber, posterior chamber, pulp chamber, vitreous chamber
Legal Definition
chamber
noun
cham·ber
1
: a judge's office
specifically
: the private office where a judge carries on business other than court sessions (as conferences or signing papers)
—usually used in pl.
four other judges met in my chambers —R. H. Bork
R. H. Bork a hearing in chambers
2
a
: a hall for the meetings of a deliberative, legislative, or judicial body or assembly
to run back into the House chamber—Tip O'Neill
Tip O'Neill
b
: a legislative or judicial body : house
More from Merriam-Webster on chamber
Nglish: Translation of chamber for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of chamber for Arabic Speakers
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