chamber

[ cheym-ber ]

noun

1. a room, usually private, in a house or apartment, especially a bedroom:

   She retired to her chamber.

2. a room in a palace or official residence.
3. the meeting hall of a legislative or other assembly.
4. chambers, Law.
   1. a place where a judge hears matters not requiring action in open court.
   2. the private office of a judge.
   3. (in England) the quarters or rooms that lawyers use to consult with their clients, especially in the Inns of Court.
5. a legislative, judicial, or other like body:

   the upper or the lower chamber of a legislature.

6. an organization of individuals or companies for a specified purpose.
7. the place where the moneys due a government are received and kept; a treasury or chamberlain's office.
8. (in early New England) any bedroom above the ground floor, generally named for the ground-floor room beneath it.
9. a compartment or enclosed space; cavity:

   a chamber of the heart.

10. (in a canal or the like) the space between any two gates of a lock.
11. a receptacle for one or more cartridges in a firearm, or for a shell in a gun or other cannon.
12. (in a gun) the part of the barrel that receives the charge.
13. chamber pot.

adjective

1. of, relating to, or performing chamber music:

   chamber players.

verb (used with object)

1. to put or enclose in, or as in, a chamber.
2. to provide with a chamber.

chamber

/ ˈtʃeɪmbə /

noun

1. a meeting hall, esp one used for a legislative or judicial assembly
2. a reception room or audience room in an official residence, palace, etc
3. archaic.
   a room in a private house, esp a bedroom
4. 1. a legislative, deliberative, judicial, or administrative assembly
   2. any of the houses of a legislature
5. an enclosed space; compartment; cavity

   the smallest chamber in the caves

6. the space between two gates of the locks of a canal, dry dock, etc
7. an enclosure for a cartridge in the cylinder of a revolver or for a shell in the breech of a cannon
8. obsolete.
   a place where the money of a government, corporation, etc, was stored; treasury
9. short for chamber pot
10. the freezing room in an abattoir
11. modifier of, relating to, or suitable for chamber music

    a chamber concert

verb

1. tr to put in or provide with a chamber

Other Words From

• under·chamber noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of chamber¹

1175–1225; Middle English chambre < Old French < Latin camera, variant of camara vaulted room, vault < Greek kamára

Word History and Origins

Origin of chamber¹

C13: from Old French chambre, from Late Latin camera room, Latin: vault, from Greek kamara

Example Sentences

Republicans controlled the Senate for most of Boxer’s 24 years in the chamber, including several terms when they held 55 of 100 seats.

From Los Angeles Times

Maipi-Clarke was reprimanded and barred from the chamber for 24 hours, the New Zealand Herald reported.

From Salon

Indeed, some in that chamber want to know more about Gaetz’s potential misconduct before clearing him to be the nation’s top investigator.

From Salon

In too many ways, they appear locked in an echo chamber, largely talking to each other and convincing themselves that all intelligent and rational people agree with them.

From Salon

Historically, the upper chamber has approved cabinet positions quickly - sometimes with little or no debate.

From BBC

Related Words

• apartment
• bedroom
• box
• cell
• cubicle
• hall
• room