legislative
Americanadjective
-
having the function of making laws.
a legislative body.
-
of or relating to the enactment of laws.
legislative proceedings; legislative power.
-
pertaining to a legislature.
a legislative recess.
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enacted or ordained by legislation or a legislature.
legislative ruling; legislative remedy.
noun
adjective
-
of or relating to legislation
-
having the power or function of legislating
a legislative assembly
-
of or relating to a legislature
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of legislative
First recorded in 1635–45; legislat(ion) + -ive
Explanation
Legislative is an adjective that describes the act or process of passing laws. Congress is the legislative branch of the United States government. They're the ones who can pass bills, which the president can sign into law or veto. A legislator is someone charged with creating and passing new laws in the legislature. All of these words come from the same root words — lex and legis (meaning "law") and lator (meaning "proposer"). So a legislator is literally a proposer of law, and their actions are legislative in nature. If you are interested in the legislative process, you might consider going to law school and running for office. Or you might just enjoy a movie about politics instead.
Vocabulary lists containing legislative
U.S. Government Lingo
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The American Revolution - Introductory
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Civics I
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Legislative proposals range from mandatory age verification for games with chat features to bills that would impose national safety standards.
From Barron's • Jun. 7, 2026
The new incentive pool will mean the loss of $2 billion annually to the fund, or roughly half the amount it has received in recent years, according to an analysis from the Legislative Analyst’s Office.
From Los Angeles Times • May 30, 2026
The state Legislative Analyst’s Office reported last month that California faces annual structural budget deficits from $20 billion to $30 billion as a result of general fund spending ballooning 70% since 2019.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 11, 2026
Legislative leaders choose both lawyers and nonlawyers to serve.
From Slate • Apr. 10, 2026
To bring in a new labor union, however small, in what he hoped would be his future constituency, would be an excellent beginning for a journey to the Legislative Assembly.
From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
