Word
parliamentary
Phoneticspar·lia·men·tary
US/ˌpɑɹɫəˈmɛnɝi/
UK/pˌɑːləmˈɛntəɹi/
Definitions
01related to a parliament
B2 · Upper Intermediate Law
adj. relating to a parliament or the people who work in one.
adj. relating to, enacted by, or characteristic of a parliament. This is a non-gradable adjective.
Español:parlamentario
“The prime minister faced many difficult parliamentary questions today.”
“The committee's findings were published in a parliamentary report that detailed several major failures in the current housing policy.”
Synonyms
02system of government
C1 · Advanced Law Academic
adj. describing a government where the leaders are chosen from and answer to a parliament.
adj. relating to a system of government where the executive branch derives its democratic legitimacy from its ability to command the confidence of the legislature.
“Many European countries have a parliamentary system rather than a presidential one.”
“In a parliamentary democracy, the head of government is typically a member of the legislature and must maintain its support to remain in power.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
03polite and formal
C1 · Advanced Law Formal
adj. using the polite and formal language required during a government meeting.
adj. conforming to the rules and customs of a parliament, particularly regarding formal and civil language during debate.
“The speaker asked the politician to use more parliamentary language during the debate.”
“The member was reprimanded for using language that was deemed not parliamentary, leading to a brief suspension from the chamber.”
Usage
Often used in the phrase 'parliamentary language'.
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “parliamentary” in context.
Verb
01. bypass parliamentary approval
“The president was criticized for attempting to bypass parliamentary approval on the new tax laws.”
verb + adj + noun
02. secure a parliamentary majority
“The ruling party failed to secure a parliamentary majority, resulting in a hung parliament.”
verb + adj + noun
Adjective
03. parliamentary democracy
“The country transitioned from a military dictatorship to a stable parliamentary democracy.”
adj + noun
04. parliamentary procedure
“The chairman was an expert in parliamentary procedure and ensured the debate remained orderly.”
adj + noun
05. parliamentary sovereignty
“The debate centered on whether the new treaty would undermine parliamentary sovereignty.”
adj + noun
Noun
06. dissolution of parliamentary sessions
“The sudden dissolution of parliamentary sessions led to an early general election.”
noun + of + adj + noun
07. parliamentary committee
“A parliamentary committee was established to investigate the environmental impact of the project.”
noun + noun
08. parliamentary oversight
“The intelligence services are subject to strict parliamentary oversight to prevent abuses of power.”
noun + noun
09. parliamentary inquiry
10. parliamentary standards
Real-World Examples
“Zambia's electoral commission has suspended the counting of votes from Thursday's presidential, parliamentary and local elections over alleged attacks on polling staff.” “According to a 2025 parliamentary report, 97% of people are annoyed by telemarketing calls, with the authors wryly noting it is "one of those rare issues that unites people in France".” “However, a parliamentary investigation into Farage, who resigned the seat amid a row over his financial support, will now continue.” “The parliamentary standards watchdog announced it was opening a formal investigation into gifts received by Farage, and his regular long press conferences abruptly stopped.” Etymology
From parliament + -ary.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/parliamentary
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0