crossbench

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noun

The political parties and/or members of a legislature that do not form part of the governing party or coalition, nor the official opposition (the largest party or coalition not in government).

Scrabble 19
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Meanings

nouncrossbench (plural crossbenches)

plural crossbenches

  1. AustralianNew ZealandgovernmentThe political parties and/or members of a legislature that do not form part of the governing party or coalition, nor the official opposition (the largest party or coalition not in government).
adjectivecrossbench (comparative more crossbench, superlative most crossbench)

comparative more crossbench · superlative most crossbench

  1. AustralianNew ZealandgovernmentOf or pertaining to a legislature's crossbench.
  2. UKalternativegovernmentAlternative form of cross-bench.

    Mary Warnock is a philosopher and crossbench peer.

    2009 April 12, Diane Abbott, Donald MacLeod, Mary Warnock, Barbara Gunnell, “What dilemma would you give a five-year-old?”, in The Observer
    1 more example

    Network Rail Chairman Sir Peter Hendy CBE has been nominated for a Crossbench Peerage.

    2022 November 2, “Network News: Sir Peter Hendy destined for House of Lords”, in RAIL, number 969, page 21

Origin

From cross- + bench.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

crossbench. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/crossbench

MLA

“crossbench.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/crossbench. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “crossbench,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/crossbench.

Source: crossbench on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.