English Reference

Word

parliament

Phoneticspar·lia·ment

US/ˈpɑɹɫəmənt/

UK/pˈɑːləmənt/

Definitions

01legislative body

B2

n. the group of elected people who make and change the laws of a country.

n. the supreme legislative body of a country, consisting of representatives who debate policy and enact legislation.

“The new law was debated in parliament for several weeks before it was passed.”

“The prime minister addressed parliament to outline the government's proposed changes to the national healthcare system.”

Usage

Often capitalized (Parliament) when referring to a specific national body, such as the UK Parliament.

02a specific session or term

C1

n. the period of time between two elections when the law-makers are working.

n. a particular assembly of members convened for a specific period, or the duration between two general elections.

“The current parliament is expected to finish its work by next spring.”

“During the last parliament, several significant constitutional reforms were introduced despite heavy opposition from the minority parties.”

Formal

Synonyms

03a group of birds

C2

n. a special name for a group of owls or rooks.

n. a collective noun used specifically for a group of owls or rooks.

“In the old story, a parliament of owls gathered in the forest to make a decision.”

“The poet described a parliament of rooks perched high in the elm trees, their cawing filling the cold morning air.”

Literary

Synonyms

Real-World Examples

“Burnham has already asked his justice secretary to fast-track a plan for presentation to Parliament early next month to create more "headroom" in the prison system.”
BBC News · 14 Aug 2026
“Along with electing a president and MPs, the more than eight million registered voters had the chance to choose a new parliament and local councils.”
BBC News · 14 Aug 2026
“I took the campaign into parliament too, raising it at prime minister’s questions and leading a debate.”
The Guardian · 11 Aug 2026
“Shakib, elected to parliament as an Awami League candidate, has remained outside Bangladesh since Hasina’s overthrow.”
The Guardian · 6 Aug 2026

Idioms

Polish parliament — A deliberative but indecisive institution.

Domains

GovernmentPolitics

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Common
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/parliament

English Reference