unicameral
Americanadjective
adjective
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Etymology
Origin of unicameral
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Explanation
Use the adjective unicameral to describe a government with only one legislative house or chamber. The Parliament of Finland, for example, is unicameral. Some governments are split into two houses — these are called bicameral legislatures. When there is only one house, usually because the government is small or the country is homogeneous, it's called unicameral. Having a unicameral government is simpler and more straightforward, while a bicameral legislature can represent more diverse groups. The word unicameral has two Latin roots, uni, which means "one," and camera, "chamber."
Vocabulary lists containing unicameral
Power Prefix: uni-
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The Beginnings of American Government
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Prefixes: uni-
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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.
The elections were the first to be held under Kazakhstan's new constitution, which abolished the senate in favour of a new unicameral legislature and reset term limits that would have otherwise been imposed on Tokayev.
From Barron's ● Aug. 24, 2026
Mr. Buffet was not the only high-profile American whose name was aired during Monday’s hearing in the Yuan, Taiwan’s unicameral legislature.
From Washington Times ● May 9, 2023
Hunt said Wednesday she is planning to personally appeal to Republicans in the unicameral Legislature to reject the bill.
From Salon ● Apr. 27, 2023
The heavily fragmented unicameral Congress is loathed - with an approval rating of just 11%, according to pollster Datum.
From Reuters ● Dec. 13, 2022
Franklin suggested the adoption of a unicameral legislature, but does not seem to have made any struggle for it.
From Benjamin Franklin Representative selections, with introduction, bibliograpy, and notes by Chester E. Jorgenson
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.
