bicameral

American  

[bahy-kam-er-uhl] / baɪˈkæm ər əl /

adjective

Government.

1. having two branches, chambers, or houses, as a legislative body.

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bicameral British  

/ baɪˈkæmərəl /

adjective

1. (of a legislature) consisting of two chambers

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• bicameralism
  noun
• bicameralist
  noun

Etymology

Origin of bicameral

First recorded in 1825–35; bi- ¹ + Latin camer(a) “vault, arched roof” + -al ¹. See chamber

Compare meaning

How does bicameral compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• unicameral vs. bicameral

Explanation

If your committee has two distinct groups responsible for setting rules and developing policies, then you’re involved in a bicameral system, meaning that there are two separate branches making up the system. You’ve probably noticed the prefix bi- and know that it’s a tip-off that this word is likely going to describe something that has two parts. You’re right. The word bicameral originates from the Latin bi-, meaning "two," combined with camera, meaning "chamber." Chamber is just another way of referring to a legislative branch of a government or other official organization. You’re probably already familiar with one famous bicameral system: the U.S. Congress, which is made up of two chambers: the Senate and the House of Representatives.