parliament

noun

par·​lia·​ment ˈpär-lə-mənt 

also

ˈpärl-yə- 

1

: a formal conference for the discussion of public affairs

specifically : a council of state in early medieval England

2

a

: an assemblage of the nobility, clergy, and commons called together by the British sovereign as the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom

b

: a similar assemblage in another nation or state

3

a

: the supreme legislative body of a usually major political unit that is a continuing institution comprising a series of individual assemblages

b

: the British House of Commons

4

: one of several principal courts of justice existing in France before the Revolution of 1789

Synonyms

• congress

Examples of parliament in a Sentence

The parliament has authority over the armed forces.

The issue was debated in Parliament.

The law was passed in the present parliament.

Recent Examples on the Web

In parliament on Monday, days after returning from the Group of 20 conference in New Delhi, Mr. Trudeau accused the Indian government of killing a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil. —Tunku Varadarajan, WSJ, 20 Sep. 2023

All three politicians are members of parliament representing the ruling Conservative party. —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 18 Sep. 2023

Volodymyr Konstantinov, the speaker of Crimea’s parliament, wrote on Telegram that eight auctions had already been concluded, generating around $8.8 million. —Tobi Raji, Washington Post, 16 Sep. 2023

Nearly two months later, the court is hearing arguments from eight petitioners against the law, most of them civil society organizations that campaign for good governance, as well as representatives of the government and parliament. —Patrick Kingsley, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Sep. 2023

For example, a popular left-wing German member of parliament, Sahra Wagenknecht, recently compared support for Ukraine to a bottomless pit, while the federal budget is being cut in all other areas. —Liana Fix, Foreign Affairs, 12 Sep. 2023

The parliament later called on member states to do the same. —Chris Stokel-Walker, WIRED, 11 Sep. 2023

Become a Subscriber The populist Law and Justice party secured a majority in Poland’s parliament, and won the largely ceremonial presidency, in 2015. —Yascha Mounk, The Atlantic, 8 Sep. 2023

Another 20,000 were expected to take to the streets on Monday to join a demonstration near the parliament, organizers said. —Reuters, NBC News, 4 Sep. 2023

See More

Word History

Etymology

Middle English parlement, parliament "discourse, conversation, conference, assembly, assembly of the lay and ecclesiastical aristocracy, the Parliament of England or Ireland," borrowed from Anglo-French, from parler "to speak" + -ment -ment — more at parley entry 2

Note: The Anglo-French word was Latinized as parlamentum or parliamentum by the early 13th century. The source of forms with internal -ia- is uncertain. The Oxford English Dictionary, third edition, compares Latin amerciamentum, merciamentum "discretionary penalty or fine" (beside Anglo-French amercement, mercement; see amerce) and maniamentum "possession, administration" (Anglo-French maniement).

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing parliament

• hung parliament

• hung parliament

Kids Definition

parliament

noun

par·​lia·​ment ˈpär-lə-mənt 

also

ˈpärl-yə- 

: the supreme legislative body of various political units

the British parliament

Etymology

Middle English parliament "a council for discussing government business," from early French parlement (same meaning), from parler "to speak" — related to parley, parlor see Word History at parlor

Legal Definition

parliament

noun

par·​lia·​ment ˈpär-lə-mənt, ˈpärl-yə- 

1

a

: an assemblage of the nobility, clergy, and commons called together by the British sovereign as the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom

b

: a similar assemblage in another nation or state

2

: the supreme legislative body of a usually major political unit that is a continuing institution comprising a series of individual assemblages

Etymology

Anglo-French parlement conference, council, parliament, from parler to speak