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parliamentary

American  
[pahr-luh-men-tuh-ree, -tree, pahrl-yuh-] / ˌpɑr ləˈmɛn tə ri, -tri, ˌpɑrl jə- /

adjective

  1. of or relating to a parliament or any of its members.

  2. enacted or established by a parliament.

  3. having a parliament.

  4. of the nature of a parliament.

  5. in accordance with the formal rules governing the methods of procedure, discussion, and debate in deliberative bodies and organized assemblies.

    parliamentary order.


parliamentary British  
/ -trɪ, ˌpɑːləˈmɛntərɪ /

adjective

  1. of or characteristic of a parliament or Parliament

  2. proceeding from a parliament or Parliament

    a parliamentary decree

  3. conforming to or derived from the procedures of a parliament or Parliament

    parliamentary conduct

  4. having a parliament or Parliament

  5. of or relating to Parliament or its supporters during the English Civil War

"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

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of parliamentary

First recorded in 1610–20; parliament + -ary

Explanation

The adjective parliamentary refers to anything related to the formal rules, procedures, or discussions of a governing body that makes laws. The word parliamentary traces back to the French word parlement, meaning "talk" or "discussion." Many democratic countries, including Canada and France, have primary governing bodies called parliaments, groups of officials who deliberate and vote on laws. Anything related to a parliament can be referred to as parliamentary — e.g., parliamentary rules and procedures. The principal lawmaking body of the U.S. is not called a parliament, but the U.S. Congress also has parliamentary procedures — rules that govern decision-making and debate.

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Vocabulary lists containing parliamentary

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:

Hours earlier, Mundubile, 55, had claimed a first-round win in the presidential election and said his party had also secured a parliamentary majority.

From Barron's Aug. 16, 2026

Farage announced his surprise resignation on July 7 amid a parliamentary probe into allegations he and Reform's deputy, Richard Tice, failed to declare financial gifts.

From Barron's Aug. 14, 2026

Harvey has previously stood in four parliamentary elections, including against prime ministers, and two London mayoral elections.

From BBC Aug. 14, 2026

It isn’t against parliamentary rules or the law to receive large donations but the money must be disclosed so voters can know who is funding their candidates.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 13, 2026

Dr. Dadoo, president of the Transvaal Indian Congress, castigated the restrictions and dismissed the offer of parliamentary representation as “a spurious offer of a sham franchise.”

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

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