Parlamentare

Parlamentare is an Italian term with two main uses. As an adjective, it describes anything related to a parliament or to parliamentary proceedings, for example attività parlamentare (parliamentary activities) or procedura parlamentare (parliamentary procedure). As a noun, parlamentare refers to a person who sits in a parliament and participates in lawmaking, debate, and oversight, i.e., a member of parliament.

In Italy, members of the Chamber of Deputies are officially called deputato and members of the Senate are senatore, but parlamentare is still used as a broader designation for legislators in general, regardless of chamber. The singular forms are un parlamentare (masculine) or una parlamentare (feminine), and the plural form is parlamentari.

Etymology and origins: the word derives from parlamento, meaning parliament, which in turn comes from Old French parlement and Latin parlementum. The root is linked to parlar or parlare, meaning to speak, reflecting the assembly’s deliberative nature.

Usage notes: Parlamentare is common in media and formal writing to refer to legislators without specifying their chamber. It is also used as an adjective to describe activities or procedures conducted in or by a parliament, such as trattazione parlamentare (parliamentary consideration) or legislazione parlamentare (parliamentary legislation). In many contexts, more precise terms (deputato, senatore, or a country-specific title) may be preferred for clarity.

See also: Parliament, Legislative process, Deputato, Senatore.