parliamentarian
noun
par·lia·men·tar·i·an
ˌpär-lə-ˌmen-ˈter-ē-ən 
-mən-,
also ˌpärl-yə-
1
often capitalized
: an adherent of the parliament in opposition to the king during the English Civil War
2
: an expert in the rules and usages of a deliberative assembly (such as a parliament)
3
: a member of a parliament
Examples of parliamentarian in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In the days after the Santa Fe protest, the outcry from hunting and outdoor recreation groups escalated across the West and the Senate parliamentarian ruled that Lee’s amendment violated the chamber’s rules.
—
Abe Streep, ProPublica, 8 July 2025
As Republicans and Democrats battle over whether the bill violates key reconciliation rules, Trump is urging Senate Republicans to overrule the Senate parliamentarian and protect key provisions of the bill.
—The Hill, 30 June 2025
Overnight Sunday, the Senate parliamentarian ruled more provisions out of order with the reconciliation process Republicans are using to pass the bill with a simple majority.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 30 June 2025
The move followed days of backlash from the public and lawmakers as well as warnings of rule violations from the Senate parliamentarian.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for parliamentarian
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Abe Streep, ProPublica, 8 July 2025
As Republicans and Democrats battle over whether the bill violates key reconciliation rules, Trump is urging Senate Republicans to overrule the Senate parliamentarian and protect key provisions of the bill.
—The Hill, 30 June 2025
Overnight Sunday, the Senate parliamentarian ruled more provisions out of order with the reconciliation process Republicans are using to pass the bill with a simple majority.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 30 June 2025
The move followed days of backlash from the public and lawmakers as well as warnings of rule violations from the Senate parliamentarian.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for parliamentarian
Cite this Entry
“Parliamentarian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/parliamentarian. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
parliamentarian
noun
par·lia·men·tar·i·an
ˌpär-lə-ˌmen-ˈter-ē-ən
-mən-,
also ˌpärl-yə-
: an expert in parliamentary procedure
Legal Definition
parliamentarian
noun
par·lia·men·tar·i·an
ˌpär-lə-ˌmen-ˈtar-ē-ən, ˌpärl-yə-, -mən-
1
: an expert in the rules and usages of a parliament or other deliberative assembly
specifically, often capitalized
: an officer of a legislative body acting as adviser on matters of procedure
Note: The parliamentarian of the U.S. House of Representatives is appointed by the Speaker of the House. The Secretary of the Senate appoints the Senate's parliamentarian with approval of the majority leader.
2
: a member of a parliament
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