parliamentarian
noun
a person who is expert in the formal rules and procedures of deliberative assemblies and other formal organizations.
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Parliamentarian
Parliamentariannouna supporter of Parliament during the English Civil War
parliamentarian
American
[pahr-luh-men-tair-ee-uhn, -muhn-, pahrl-yuh-]
/ ˌpɑr lə mɛnˈtɛər i ən, -mən-, ˌpɑrl jə- /
noun
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a person who is expert in the formal rules and procedures of deliberative assemblies and other formal organizations.
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(sometimes initial capital letter) a member of Parliament.
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(initial capital letter) a partisan of the British Parliament in opposition to Charles I.
parliamentarian
1
British
/ ˌpɑːləmɛnˈtɛərɪən /
noun
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an expert in parliamentary procedures, etc
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(sometimes capital) a Member of Parliament
adjective
Parliamentarian
2
British
/ ˌpɑːləmɛnˈtɛərɪən /
noun
adjective
Etymology
Origin of parliamentarian
First recorded in 1605–15; parliament + -arian
Explanation
A parliamentarian is someone who's very familiar with the rules of a legislative body, often because they're a member of it. In the U.S., a parliamentarian advises lawmakers on complex Senate and House rules. In the 17th century, parliamentarians opposed the monarchy during the English Civil War; in Britain today, a parliamentarian is simply a member of parliament, the U.K. government. United States parliamentarians, experts in the rules of the legislature, are appointed to the House and Senate by the majority party. Their job is to answer any procedural questions and offer nonpartisan advice. Parliamentarian is from parliament, "assembly," and its Latin root, meaning "to speak."
Vocabulary lists containing parliamentarian
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"Switzerland is a small country that cannot be expanded," SVP parliamentarian Yvan Pahud told AFP.
From Barron's ● Jun. 14, 2026
Iranian parliamentarian Ebrahim Rezaei, a spokesperson for Iran's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, wrote on X that the 14 points reported by Axios amounted to a US "wish list".
From BBC ● May 6, 2026
Budget reconciliation is governed by strict rules, enforced by a strict parliamentarian, requiring that reconciliation items pertain to taxes and spending.
From Slate ● Mar. 24, 2026
Though such an attack is unlikely to destroy its target, it could damage or at least disrupt operations, demonstrating that “American power is not untouchable,” said Hooshang Talé, a former Iranian parliamentarian.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 28, 2026
The meeting was held in secret, and the parliamentarian, who spoke perfect English, having been educated at Oxford, asked for anonymity, which he believed would enable him to better work behind the scenes.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough issued her rejections on Thursday, saying the struck sections ran afoul of the Senate’s rules.
From Salon ● Jun. 26, 2025
Parliamentarian Gebran Bassil, the son-in-law of President Aoun, the head of the Free Patriotic Movement party, and an ally of Hezbollah, has long been seen as Aoun’s successor of choice.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 9, 2022
Daniel Freund, a European Parliamentarian, denounced the gas deal when it was announced.
From New York Times ● Sep. 13, 2022
In return, Mr Walton would have pledged his allegiance to Oliver Cromwell and possibly made a payment towards the Parliamentarian cause.
From BBC ● Mar. 20, 2022
Xenocrates looked over to the Parliamentarian, who had jurisdiction in such matters.
From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
