tricameral, adjective and & noun

Origin:
English, LatinShow more English prefix tri- three + cameral ‘of the chamber’, both originally from Latin.
historical
A. adjective Of or pertaining to the parliamentary system (1983–1994) in which the legislature consisted of three ethnically-based houses; also used allusively of anything related in some way to this parliament or its activities; tricam adjective. Also transferred sense, meaning ‘racist’ or ‘divided’. See also House of Assembly (house sense 1 c), House of Delegates (house sense 2), House of Representatives (house sense 3), Ministers’ Council, own affair, President’s Council sense b.
1984 Daily Dispatch 21 June 3Powers and privileges are to be extended to members of the coloured and Indian chambers in the new tricameral Parliament.
1985 Sunday Times 15 Sept. 14President Botha created the tricameral Parliament and thereby insulted 70 percent of South Africa’s people by leaving the blacks out.
1985 Platzky & Walker Surplus People p.xxixThe new tri-cameral parliamentary system became a reality in 1985 as a result of the implementation of the new 1984 constitution.
1986 R. Segal in New Statesman (U.K.) 28 Mar. 19South Africa’s tricameral parliament..excludes the black majority, while purveying ersatz representation for Coloured and Indian in separate annexes to the white house.
1987 M. Badela in Weekly Mail 10 July 3A tricameral no from the UDF leaders.
1987 New Nation 1 Oct. 12They have been living in tents provided by the red cross, despite promises of permanent housing by tricameral MPs.
1987 New Nation 22 Oct. 11A fair number of Indians and coloured people will tell you that they refused to be party to the tricameral joke.
1989 Reader’s Digest Illust. Hist. of S. Afr. 481Under the new tricameral system..the Bills bogged down in the coloured and Indian houses.
1989 Sunday Times 31 Dec. 3An extra parliament will be added to our existing tricameral system. This will..change the name of Parliament to the Quadriplegic System of Democratic Government.
1990 Weekly Mail 2 Mar. 22We still have a tricameral television service.
1990 South 22 Mar. 13His tricameral explanation of the sticky and soet koeksister of the title: ‘Singular yet plural, individual yet united, all nicely covered with the golden syrup of democracy.’
1991 Weekend Post 1 June 8The spectre of black domination and the end of the tricameral gravy train.
B. noun nonce. The tricameral parliament or parliamentary system; tricam noun.
1991 Weekend Post 1 June 8A ‘permanence’ beyond the tricameral.
Of or pertaining to the parliamentary system (1983–1994) in which the legislature consisted of three ethnically-based houses; also used allusively of anything related in some way to this parliament or its activities; tricam adjective. Also transferred sense, meaning ‘racist’ or ‘divided’.
The tricameral parliament or parliamentary system; tricam noun.
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tricam, adjectiveadj. & nounn.Tripartite Alliance, noun phrasen. phr.
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