parliament
Pluralparliaments
- 1The part of a country's government that makes and changes the laws.
Like a big group of chosen people who make the rules everyone in the country must follow.
Parliament passed a new law to protect the country's forests.
People asked parliament to spend more money on schools.
UsageOften with no the: run for parliament, sit in parliament.
Similarlegislature, assembly
- 2The group of lawmakers who meet for one set period of time, often given a number or a name.
This parliament will sit for four years before the next election.
The first parliament after the war rebuilt many ruined towns.
UsageNames like Long Parliament start with capital letters.
Note
- 3A group of birds gathered together, especially owls or rooks.
Like having a special name for a group of owls, the way a group of wolves is a pack.
A parliament of owls roosted in the old oak tree.
We watched a noisy parliament of rooks settle on the field at dusk.
UsageSay a parliament of owls or a parliament of rooks.
Similarflock
Note
Less common meanings
- 4Long ago, a formal meeting, often called by a king or queen, to talk about important matters.
Like a special meeting a ruler calls so important people can give advice.
The king called a parliament to raise money for his war.
By the 13th Century, a parliament was when kings met up with English barons to raise cash for fighting wars - mostly against Scotland.
2014, “A brief history of the UK Parliament”, in BBC NewsHere, parliament means a meeting called by a king to discuss state matters.Similarcouncil
Note
- 5A thin, crisp kind of gingerbread that was popular long ago.
A certain boy leaning up against me would not allow my elbow room, and struck me very sadly in the stomach part, though his own was full of my parliament.
1869, R[ichard] D[oddridge] Blackmore, Lorna DooneHere, parliament means thin, crisp gingerbread.
Practice
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Origin
From Old French parlement, from parler meaning "to speak" plus a noun-forming ending.
Checked 5 Nov 2026 · 3 facts
- Parliament derives from Old French parlement. en.wiktionary.org
- Old French parlement derives from parler, meaning "to speak", plus a suffix. en.wiktionary.org
- The ending -ment forms nouns from verbs. en.wiktionary.org