parliament

UK: 'parliament', 'Parliament': /ˈpɑːləmənt/

US: /ˈpɑrləmənt; sometimes ˈpɑrljə-/

US: (pär′lə mənt or, sometimes, pärl′yə-)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

par•lia•ment /ˈpɑrləmənt; sometimes ˈpɑrlyə-/   n. 

1. Government [Parliament* proper noun] the national law-making body of Great Britain, made up of the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
2. Government [sometimes: Parliament] the national law-making body of certain other countries:
   [proper noun] He reconvened Parliament.
   [countable] Parliaments often seem to be very inefficient governing bodies.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

par•lia•ment  (pär′lə mənt or, sometimes, pärl′yə-), n. 

1. Government (usually cap.) the legislature of Great Britain, historically the assembly of the three estates, now composed of Lords Spiritual and Lords Temporal, forming together the House of Lords, and representatives of the counties, cities, boroughs, and universities, forming the House of Commons.
2. Government (usually cap.) the legislature of certain British colonies and possessions.
3. Government a legislative body in any of various other countries.
4. World History [Fr. Hist.] any of several high courts of justice in France before 1789.
5. a meeting or assembly for conference on public or national affairs.
6. Games [Cards.] fan-tan (def. 1).

• Old French
• Old French parlement a speaking, conference (see parle, -ment); replacing Middle English parlement
• Anglo-Latin parliamentum, alteration of Medieval Latin parlāmentum
• Middle English: discourse, consultation, Parliament 1250–1300

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

parliament / ˈpɑːləmənt/ noun

1. an assembly of the representatives of a political nation or people, often the supreme legislative authority
2. any legislative or deliberative assembly, conference, etc

Etymology: 13th Century: from Anglo-Latin parliamentum, from Old French parlement, from parler to speak; see parley

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Parliament / ˈpɑːləmənt/ noun

1. the highest legislative authority in Britain, consisting of the House of Commons, which exercises effective power, the House of Lords, and the sovereign
2. a similar legislature in another country
3. any of the assemblies of such a body created by a general election and royal summons and dissolved before the next election