chamber

[cheym-ber]

noun

1. a room, usually private, in a house or apartment, especially a bedroom.

   She retired to her chamber.

2. a room in a palace or official residence.

3. the meeting hall of a legislative or other assembly.

4. Law.,  chambers,

   1. a place where a judge hears matters not requiring action in open court.

   2. the private office of a judge.

   3. (in England) the quarters or rooms that lawyers use to consult with their clients, especially in the Inns of Court.

5. a legislative, judicial, or other like body.

   the upper or the lower chamber of a legislature.

6. an organization of individuals or companies for a specified purpose.

7. the place where the moneys due a government are received and kept; a treasury or chamberlain's office.

8. (in early New England) any bedroom above the ground floor, generally named for the ground-floor room beneath it.

9. a compartment or enclosed space; cavity.

   a chamber of the heart.

10. (in a canal or the like) the space between any two gates of a lock.

11. a receptacle for one or more cartridges in a firearm, or for a shell in a gun or other cannon.

12. (in a gun) the part of the barrel that receives the charge.

13. chamber pot.

adjective

1. of, relating to, or performing chamber music.

   chamber players.

verb (used with object)

1. to put or enclose in, or as in, a chamber.

2. to provide with a chamber.

chamber

/ ˈtʃeɪmbə /

noun

1. a meeting hall, esp one used for a legislative or judicial assembly

2. a reception room or audience room in an official residence, palace, etc

3. archaic,  a room in a private house, esp a bedroom

4. 1. a legislative, deliberative, judicial, or administrative assembly

   2. any of the houses of a legislature

5. an enclosed space; compartment; cavity

   the smallest chamber in the caves

6. the space between two gates of the locks of a canal, dry dock, etc

7. an enclosure for a cartridge in the cylinder of a revolver or for a shell in the breech of a cannon

8. obsolete,  a place where the money of a government, corporation, etc, was stored; treasury

9. short for chamber pot

10. the freezing room in an abattoir

11. (modifier) of, relating to, or suitable for chamber music

    a chamber concert

verb

1. (tr) to put in or provide with a chamber

Other Word Forms

• underchamber noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of chamber¹

1175–1225; Middle English chambre < Old French < Latin camera, variant of camara vaulted room, vault < Greek kamára

Word History and Origins

Origin of chamber¹

C13: from Old French chambre, from Late Latin camera room, Latin: vault, from Greek kamara

Example Sentences

A spokesperson for Johnson echoed that point in a statement to Salon, noting that “it’s a customary practice in the House to swear in members when the chamber is in legislative session.”

Read more on Salon

Johnson has extended a House recess through the week, meaning Congress' lower chamber will not be in session to take up a funding bill should the Senate make any changes and come to a deal.

Read more on BBC

Speaking at First Minister's Questions, Swinney said: "Antisemitism is an evil we must confront and stand resolutely against, and I know the whole chamber speaks with one voice on this important question."

Read more on BBC

The chamber argued that “courts have repeatedly held that states are prohibited from regulating this space.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

It could take months before the benefits of Jaguar Land Rover resuming production filters down to the supply chain, a chamber of commerce said.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• apartment 
• bedroom 
• box 
• cell 
• cubicle 
• hall 
• room