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.
The country’s president and its parliamentary speaker say Tehran needs to negotiate an exit and shore up its economy while it has leverage.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf worry economic pressure will undermine stability.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 22, 2026
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun told a parliamentary hearing that neither South Korean nor US officials had been aware in advance about Trump's plans.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
The video even featured images of former presidential aide Andriy Yermak and parliamentary faction leader David Arakhamia, alongside blurred photographs of other figures within Zelensky's entourage.
From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026
On March 8 the committee was prepared to submit its report, thereby assuring that the controversy would not go away or get buried in some parliamentary graveyard.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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.
