duma

[ doo-muh ]

/ ˈdu mə /

noun

(in Russia prior to 1917) a council or official assembly.

(initial capital letter) an elective legislative assembly, established in 1905 by Nicholas II, constituting the lower house of parliament.

Nearby words

dulwich, duly, dum spiro, spero, dum vivimus, vivamus, dum-dum, duma, dumaguete, dumas, dumas père, dumas, alexandre, dumas, jean baptiste andré

Also douma.

Origin of duma

1865–70; < Russian, Old Russian dúma assembly, council (an early homonym with dúma thought); cognate with Bulgarian dúma word, Slovak duma meditation; Slavic *dum- probably < Gothic dōms judgment (see doom)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for duma

“It is not dissimilar from Putin using the Duma to ratify his annexation of the Crimea,” he said.
Britain’s PM Cameron And His Awful Assault on Human Rights Court|Nico Hines|October 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Last April, shortly after annexation, the Duma voted for the law allowing gaming zones in Crimea.
Putin's Crimea Is a Big Anti-Gay Casino|Anna Nemtsova|September 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Deputies were full of optimism: sanctions would help to make the Russian economy healthier, Duma members concluded on Wednesday.
Is Putin About to Blink?|Anna Nemtsova|July 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“Our relationship with the U.S. has been growing colder and colder,” said the Duma deputy, Robert Schlegel.
Cold Shoulder for Obama|Anna Nemtsova|September 4, 2013|DAILY BEAST

Omar and Fouzi are from the West Bank village of Duma, 13 miles southeast of Nablus.
Palestinian Children: The Invisible Workers of Israeli Settlements|Dina Elmuti|August 28, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The arrest of the five Social Democrats while the Duma was still sitting evoked a strong protest, even from the conservatives.
Bolshevism|John Spargo
But the last hope of the people was in the Duma, and they awaited its session in that spirit.
The Story of the Great War, Volume VI (of VIII)|Various
The Empress, on hearing what had happened in the Duma, had a fit of hysterics.
The Minister of Evil|William Le Queux
The Duma of June 3rd would never have dared to seize the power from the hands of Tzarism.
Our Revolution|Leon Trotzky
There were many absentees, and the President of the Duma had to combat this attitude.
The Russian Turmoil|Anton Ivanovich Denikin

British Dictionary definitions for duma

duma

douma

/ Russian (ˈduːmə) /

noun Russian history

(usually capital) the elective legislative assembly established by Tsar Nicholas II in 1905: overthrown by the Bolsheviks in 1917

(before 1917) any official assembly or council

short for State Duma, the lower chamber of the Russian parliament

Word Origin for duma

C20: from duma thought, of Germanic origin; related to Gothic dōms judgment

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012