parliamentary
Americanadjective
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of or relating to a parliament or any of its members.
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enacted or established by a parliament.
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having a parliament.
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of the nature of a parliament.
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in accordance with the formal rules governing the methods of procedure, discussion, and debate in deliberative bodies and organized assemblies.
parliamentary order.
adjective
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of or characteristic of a parliament or Parliament
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proceeding from a parliament or Parliament
a parliamentary decree
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conforming to or derived from the procedures of a parliament or Parliament
parliamentary conduct
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having a parliament or Parliament
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of or relating to Parliament or its supporters during the English Civil War
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.
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.
His allies have engineered a parliamentary by-election in June that they hope will let him re-enter Parliament and then run for Mr. Starmer’s job.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026
Andy Burnham, the current Mayor of Greater Manchester, is expected to vie for a parliamentary seat in a special election in Makerfield in June.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026
Kulbergs, a 46-year-old former businessman considered "pragmatic" by local media, said he hoped to create an "enlarged coalition" to administer the Baltic country until parliamentary elections are held October 3.
From Barron's • May 16, 2026
There will, no doubt, be multiple amendments amidst intense parliamentary scrutiny - and that's not to mention the job cuts and disruption of the administrative shake-up that comes with it.
From BBC • May 15, 2026
Nor can we leave success out of the history of parliamentary democracy or the novel; but democracies sometimes fail, and sometimes the novels get worse not better.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
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.
