parliament
PAH-luh-muhnt
Parliament (noun) means a country's elected law-making body, which debates issues, passes laws, and oversees government spending. Example: “Members of parliament meet in the capital to vote on new laws.”
noun
1
A country's elected law-making body, which debates issues, passes laws, and oversees government spending.
"Members of parliament meet in the capital to vote on new laws."
"The bill was debated in parliament for weeks before it passed."
"She was elected to parliament at the age of thirty-two."
2
A specific sitting or term of such a body.
"The first parliament after the election had many new members."
"That parliament was dissolved early after the government lost an important vote."
"The reforms were finally passed during the next parliament."
How to use parliament
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe group of elected officials who make a country's laws.
Common pairings
members of parliament
pass through parliament
dissolve parliament
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like parliament.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- parliaments
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Members of _____ meet in the capital to vote on new laws.
Etymology
From Old French parlement, "discussion, assembly," from parler, "to speak."
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for parliament
lament
ornament
ligament
armament
filament
sacrament
testament
firmament
tournament
temperament
predicament
disarmament
See all rhymes for parliament →
Frequently asked questions
What does “parliament” mean?
The word “parliament” means a country's elected law-making body, which debates issues, passes laws, and oversees government spending. In plain terms, the group of elected officials who make a country's laws.
How do you pronounce “parliament”?
“Parliament” is pronounced PAH-luh-muhnt (/ˈpɑɹləmənt/ in IPA).
How do you use “parliament” in a sentence?
Here is “parliament” used in a sentence: “The bill was debated in parliament for weeks before it passed.”
What part of speech is “parliament”?
“Parliament” is a noun.
Where does the word “parliament” come from?
The word “parliament” comes from Old French. From Old French parlement, "discussion, assembly," from parler, "to speak.".
Is “parliament” a common word?
“Parliament” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “parliament” have?
“Parliament” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a country's elected law-making body, which debates issues, passes laws, and oversees government spending.
What is the difference between a parliament and a congress?
Both are elected law-making bodies, but they sit in different systems. In a parliamentary system the government is drawn from parliament and stays in power only while it holds parliament's confidence, led by a prime minister. In a congressional system, like the United States, congress is elected separately from the president, keeping the two branches distinct.
What is the difference between parliament and the government?
Parliament is the whole elected law-making body; the government is the smaller group of ministers, led by the prime minister, that actually runs the country. In most parliamentary systems the government is drawn from parliament and must answer to it, so parliament can question, challenge and even remove the government from office.
What are the two houses of parliament?
Many parliaments are bicameral, meaning they have two chambers: a lower house whose members are directly elected, and an upper house that reviews and revises legislation. In the United Kingdom these are the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Some countries instead have a unicameral parliament with a single chamber.
Why is parliament important?
Parliament gives citizens a voice in how they are governed. It debates the issues of the day, makes and changes the laws everyone must follow, approves taxation and public spending, and holds the government to account for its decisions. Without it, power would rest with the government alone, unchecked by elected representatives.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include parliament:
