parliament

American  

[pahr-luh-muhnt, pahrl-yuh-] / ˈpɑr lə mənt, ˈpɑrl yə- /

Obsolete, parlement

noun

1. (usually initial capital letter) the legislature of Great Britain, historically the assembly of the three estates, now composed of Lords Spiritual and Lords Temporal, forming together the House of Lords, and representatives of the counties, cities, boroughs, and universities, forming the House of Commons.

2. (usually initial capital letter) the legislature of certain British colonies and possessions.

3. a legislative body in any of various other countries.

4. French History. any of several high courts of justice in France before 1789.

5. a meeting or assembly for conference on public or national affairs.

6. Cards. fan-tan.

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Parliament ¹ British  

/ ˈpɑːləmənt /

noun

1. the highest legislative authority in Britain, consisting of the House of Commons, which exercises effective power, the House of Lords, and the sovereign

2. a similar legislature in another country

3. the two chambers of a Parliament

4. the lower chamber of a Parliament

5. any of the assemblies of such a body created by a general election and royal summons and dissolved before the next election

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parliament ² British  

/ ˈpɑːləmənt /

noun

1. an assembly of the representatives of a political nation or people, often the supreme legislative authority

2. any legislative or deliberative assembly, conference, etc

3. Also: parlement.  (in France before the Revolution) any of several high courts of justice in which royal decrees were registered

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parliament Cultural  

1. An assembly of representatives, usually of an entire nation, that makes laws. Parliaments began in the Middle Ages in struggles for power between kings and their people. Today, parliaments differ from other kinds of legislatures in one important way: some of the representatives in the parliament serve as government ministers, in charge of carrying out the laws that the parliament passes. Generally, a parliament is divided by political parties, and the representative who leads the strongest political party in the parliament becomes the nation's head of government. This leader is usually called the prime minister or premier. Typically, a different person — usually a king, queen, or president — is head of state, and this person's duties are usually more ceremonial than governmental.

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Discover More

The number of nations governed by parliaments has greatly increased in modern times.

Other Word Forms

• antiparliament adjective
• interparliament adjective
• subparliament noun

Etymology

Origin of parliament

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English: “discourse, consultation, Parliament,” from Anglo-Latin parliamentum, alteration of Medieval Latin parlāmentum, from Old French parlement “a speaking, conference” ( parle, -ment ); replacing Middle English parlement, from Old French

Example Sentences

Cameroon's President Paul Biya, the world's oldest leader, is set to get a vice-president for the first time in his four-decade rule following controversial constitutional changes backed by parliament.

From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026

Mohammad Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran's parliament, mocked the Trump administration.

From Barron's • Apr. 4, 2026

The vote on Friday across the upper and lower houses of parliament in the capital Naypyidaw saw Min Aung Hlaing secure a huge margin over the second-place candidate in a three-person race.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

Despite the public outcry, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was re-elected soon after the disaster and has survived two related no-confidence votes in parliament.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

The Reichstag, the German parliament, had passed a Peace Resolution, calling for “a peace of understanding and the permanent reconciliation of peoples without the forcible acquisition of territory.”

From "The War to End All Wars: World War I" by Russell Freedman

Related Words

• court