question period

noun

In the federal and provincial parliaments, a period of regularly scheduled time in the lower chamber during which members of the official opposition party and other members may direct questions to the prime minister and to cabinet ministers concerning affairs of state.

Meanings

question period1

nounquestion period (plural question periods)

plural question periods

  1. Alternative letter-case form of Question Period.

Question Period2

nounQuestion Period (plural Question Periods)

plural Question Periods · alternative question period

  1. CanadagovernmentIn the federal and provincial parliaments, a period of regularly scheduled time in the lower chamber during which members of the official opposition party and other members may direct questions to the prime minister and to cabinet ministers concerning affairs of state.

    Opposition members blasted the Tory budget during Question Period on Wednesday, charging that it raises income taxes on the poorest Canadians.

    2006 May 3, “‘Neo-Conservative budget’ raises taxes on poor: Liberals”, in CBC.ca, Canada, retrieved 02 Oct 2010
    1 more example

    Two Progressive Conservatives asked Mr Winters during the Commons question period what is being done about Parliament's electric clocks and the library of Parliament.

    1955 January 24, “Parliament's Clock, Library Questioned”, in Ottawa Citizen, Canada, retrieved 02 Oct 2010, page 6

    Synonyms: Question Time

Synonyms & antonyms

nounIn the federal and provincial parliaments, a period of regularly scheduled time in the lower chamber during which members of the official opposition party and other members may direct questions to the prime minister and to cabinet ministers concerning affairs of state.

Cite this entry
APA

question period. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/question%20period

MLA

“question period.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/question%20period. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “question period,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/question%20period.

Source: question period on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.