chamber
UK: ˈtʃeɪmbə | US: ˈtʃeɪmbər
n. a room, especially a private or enclosed one
n. a legislative or judicial assembly (e.g., "the Senate chamber")
n. an enclosed space in machinery or anatomy (e.g., "a combustion chamber")
The word "chamber" traces back to Old French chambre (room), derived from Latin camera (vaulted room), which itself comes from Greek kamara (vault, arched roof). The Latin term evolved into camera in Late Latin, referring to any enclosed space, and was borrowed into Old English as chamber through Norman French. Over time, the meaning expanded to include legislative assemblies (from the notion of a private meeting room) and mechanical compartments (from the idea of an enclosed space). The morpheme chamb preserves the core idea of an enclosed area, while -er functions as a noun-forming suffix.
The king retired to his private chamber after the meeting.
The bill was debated in the upper chamber of Parliament.
The engine’s combustion chamber was carefully inspected.
She stored the documents in a hidden chamber of the desk.
The jury deliberated in the judge’s chamber.