unicameral
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- unicameralism noun
- unicameralist noun
- unicamerally adverb
Etymology
Origin of unicameral
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How does unicameral compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Use the adjective unicameral to describe a government with only one legislative house or chamber. The Parliament of Finland, for example, is unicameral. Some governments are split into two houses — these are called bicameral legislatures. When there is only one house, usually because the government is small or the country is homogeneous, it's called unicameral. Having a unicameral government is simpler and more straightforward, while a bicameral legislature can represent more diverse groups. The word unicameral has two Latin roots, uni, which means "one," and camera, "chamber."
Vocabulary lists containing unicameral
Power Prefix: uni-
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The Beginnings of American Government
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Prefixes: uni-
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Postponed from Tuesday, the unicameral parliament is scheduled to meet again Thursday, though it was not clear if the bill was on the agenda.
From Barron's • Feb. 10, 2026
Stefanik spoke at the Knesset, Israel's unicameral legislature, at the invitation of Speaker Amir Ohana, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling coalition.
From Salon • May 20, 2024
For Mr. Lee, the tally should have been risk-free: The Democratic Party, known as the DPK, holds a comfortable majority of 168 seats in the unicameral, 299-seat National Assembly.
From Washington Times • Sep. 22, 2023
He benefited from the fact that the unicameral Congress was deeply divided.
From Seattle Times • Dec. 7, 2022
It set up a unicameral parliament, which was to be elected on the basis of universal suffrage; the parliament was to control the executive.
From Area Handbook for Bulgaria by Baluyut, Violeta D.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
