parliamentary

parliamentary — adjective

1. describes anything that involves a parliament — its members, its rules, its proc

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

describes anything that involves a parliament — its members, its rules, its procedures, or a system of government built around an elected assembly that makes laws.

Example

The new bill must go through several parliamentary debates before it becomes law.

parliamentary + noun: parliamentary debates

Maya hopes to win a seat at the next parliamentary election in May.

collocation: parliamentary election

Common collocations
  • parliamentary election
  • parliamentary debate
  • parliamentary committee
  • parliamentary procedure
  • parliamentary system
  • parliamentary seat
  • parliamentary democracy
  • parliamentary inquiry
Synonyms
  • legislative

    broader — covers any law-making body, not only a parliament; often used in American English contexts.

  • congressional

    American equivalent — used for the U.S. Congress, not for parliaments.

  • governmental

    much wider — relates to any branch of government, not specifically the law-making one.

Grammar Patterns

parliamentary + noun

Usage Note

Almost always used before a noun (attributive), not after a linking verb. Common nouns it pairs with include election, debate, committee, system, procedure, seat, and democracy.

Common Mistakes

The system is parliamentary in this country.
This country has a parliamentary system.
'parliamentary' rarely follows the verb 'be'; place it directly in front of the noun.
a parliamentary man' (meaning a member of parliament).
a member of parliament' or 'an MP'.
'parliamentary' describes things, not people in this way.

Word family

  • parliament
    nounB1
  • parliamentarian
    nounC2
  • parliamentarily
    adverbC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe the law-making side of government, but they are not interchangeable. 'Parliamentary' specifically points to a parliament — an elected body, often headed by a prime minister — and is the standard word in the UK, Canada, India, Australia, and most European democracies. 'Legislative' is broader and more neutral; it covers any law-making body, including state assemblies and city councils, and is preferred in formal or comparative writing. 'Congressional' is the American counterpart of 'parliamentary' and refers only to the U.S. Congress. 'Governmental' is much wider and includes the executive and judicial branches as well, so it is rarely a true synonym. For example, you would say 'a parliamentary debate' in London, 'a congressional hearing' in Washington, and 'legislative reform' in either place when speaking generally.

parliamentary ↗legislative ↗congressional ↗governmental ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • parliamentary democracy
  • parliamentary system of government
  • parliamentary procedure
  • member of a parliamentary committee

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word entered English in the early 1600s, formed from 'parliament' plus the adjective ending '-ary'. 'Parliament' itself came into Middle English from Old French 'parlement', meaning a discussion or talk, which traces back to the verb 'parler' (to speak). The underlying idea is that a parliament is the place where representatives speak and debate, so 'parliamentary' literally means 'related to the speaking assembly'.