What does duma mean?
A duma is a legislative assembly in Russia, most familiar today as the State Duma — the elected lower house of the country's Federal Assembly. Deputies to the Duma are chosen by popular vote and are responsible for drafting and passing federal legislation. The term carries deep historical resonance: it was first applied to advisory councils under the tsars, and became internationally known after the 1905 Revolution, when Nicholas II was compelled to create an elected national legislature. Four such pre-revolutionary Dumas met between 1906 and 1917, though their authority was repeatedly curtailed. The word itself derives from a Slavic root meaning "to think" or "to deliberate," so the name literally suggests a body for collective reflection. In modern usage, "Duma" appears chiefly in news reporting and political analysis of Russian affairs, almost always capitalized. For readers of international news, knowing the term is essential, since it is the standard way English-language media refer to Russia's parliament.
A legislative assembly in Russia, especially the State Duma, the lower house of the modern Federal Assembly.
"The Duma approved the budget after weeks of negotiation."
Usually capitalized when referring to the specific Russian institution; often preceded by "the".
Historically, any of several representative or deliberative bodies in imperial Russia, including the four State Dumas of 1906–1917 and local town dumas (city councils).
"The First Duma lasted barely two months before being dissolved by the Tsar."
In this historical sense, lowercase "town duma" referred to municipal councils.
The plural follows standard English patterns. When referring to multiple distinct historical bodies, writers sometimes capitalize each instance (e.g., "the First and Second Dumas").
"All four pre-revolutionary Dumas were dissolved before completing their terms."
Russia's parliament is named after a Slavic word for 'thought' — making the Duma literally a place for thinking things over together.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of duma
The word "duma" comes directly from Russian дума, meaning "thought," "deliberation," or "council," derived from a Slavic verb meaning "to think." It shares a distant Indo-European root (*dhe-, "to set, place, judge") with the English words "doom" — which originally meant "judgment" — and "deem," meaning to judge or consider. The term entered English in the early twentieth century, following the creation of the first elected State Duma in 1906, and was later revived for Russia's post-Soviet parliament established by the 1993 constitution.
Related word forms
How duma is actually used
The word is normally capitalized when referring to the specific Russian institution (often as "the Duma" or "the State Duma") but may appear lowercase in generic references to historical town dumas (city councils). It is a loanword used primarily in journalism, political commentary, and historical writing about Russia; it is not applied to parliaments of other countries.
Easily confused with duma
"Dumb" is an adjective meaning unable to speak or foolishly silent, while "duma" is a noun denoting a Russian parliamentary assembly.