legislature

[lej-is-ley-cher]

noun

1. a deliberative body of persons, usually elective, who are empowered to make, change, or repeal the laws of a country or state; the branch of government having the power to make laws, as distinguished from the executive and judicial branches of government.

legislature

/ ˈlɛdʒɪsˌleɪtʃə /

noun

1. a body of persons vested with power to make, amend, and repeal laws Compare executive judiciary

Other Word Forms

• sublegislature noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of legislature¹

First recorded in 1670–80; legislat(or) + -ure

Example Sentences

The referendum result is a blow to Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa, who had campaigned to change the constitution in order to reverse a ban that the country's legislature passed in 2008.

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On Nov. 30 Hondurans elect a president, nearly 300 mayors and a 128-seat legislature.

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Organizers from the group last year successfully helped push restrictions on legacy preferences through the California legislature.

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The justice department cited "substantial evidence" that California legislature created a new map in which Latino demographics and racial considerations were predominant.

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“Delaware’s Chancery Court in recent years has been rife with unpredictable outcomes,” Grewal writes, adding that efforts by the Delaware legislature to fix inconsistent outcomes aren’t an efficient or sustainable solution.

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Related Words

• body 
• chamber 
• house 
• parliament