Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

star chamber

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.39 in modern English

Syllables
star cham-ber
IPA
20
Scrabble Score
11
Letters
2
Syllables
9
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A legal or administrative body with strict, arbitrary rulings and secretive proceedings.

Derogatory

Example Sentences

Etymology

From the Star Chamber (perhaps named for the gilt stars on its ceiling), an English court of law that sat at the royal Palace of Westminster from the late 15th century until 1641. The court was set up to ensure the fair enforcement of laws against prominent people, but over time it evolved into a political weapon; a symbol of the misuse and abuse of power by the English monarchy and courts.

Usage

Inflected Forms

star chambers (plural)

Phrases

kangaroo court

Frequently Paired Words

kangaroo court

Questions

What does star chamber mean?
A legal or administrative body with strict, arbitrary rulings and secretive proceedings.
Where does star chamber come from?
From the Star Chamber (perhaps named for the gilt stars on its ceiling), an English court of law that sat at the royal Palace of Westminster from the late 15th century until 1641. The court was set up to ensure the fair enforcement of laws against prominent people, but over time it evolved into a political weapon; a symbol of the misuse and abuse of power by the English monarchy and courts.

How to pronounce star chamber

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “star chamber”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “star chamber”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “star chamber” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.