senate

[ sen-it ]

noun

1. an assembly or council of citizens having the highest deliberative functions in a government, especially a legislative assembly of a state or nation.
2. (initial capital letter) the upper house of the legislature of certain countries, as the United States, France, Italy, Canada, Ireland, Republic of South Africa, Australia, and some Latin American countries.
3. the room or building in which such a group meets.
4. Roman History. the supreme council of state, the membership and functions of which varied at different periods.
5. a governing, advisory, or disciplinary body, as in certain universities.

Senate

¹

/ ˈsɛnɪt /

noun

1. the upper chamber of the legislatures of the US, Canada, Australia, and many other countries
2. the legislative council of ancient Rome. Originally the council of the kings, the Senate became the highest legislative, judicial, and religious authority in republican Rome
3. the ruling body of certain free cities in medieval and modern Europe

senate

²

/ ˈsɛnɪt /

noun

1. any legislative or governing body considered to resemble a Senate
2. the main governing body at some colleges and universities

Word History and Origins

Origin of senate¹

1175–1225; Middle English senat < Latin senātus council of elders, equivalent to sen ( ex ) old + -ātus -ate ³

Word History and Origins

Origin of senate¹

C13: from Latin senātus council of the elders, from senex an old man

Example Sentences

It meant that, in New Jersey, the sitting president of the state senate will probably be replaced by a guy who spent on his entire campaign less than a third of what McAuliffe spent on fines to the Board of Elections alone.

From Washington Post

Haugen is scheduled to testify before the Senate Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Data Security on Tuesday.

From Time

Antigone Davis, Facebook’s Global Head of Safety, is scheduled to address the issue before the Senate Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety and Data Security on Thursday.

From Washington Post

The Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control will hold a hearing next week on how to move forward against the drug crisis.

From Washington Post

He was set to testify before the state senate, where a bill to finally repeal the 50a secrecy law was being considered.

From ProPublica

This is going to be the Game of Thrones of U.S. Senate races.

From The Daily Beast

This Congress will welcome more women than ever before at 19 percent of the House and 20 percent of the Senate.

From The Daily Beast

AIDS insanity:  When running for the US Senate in 1992, Huckabee called for a quarantine of people who had AIDS.

From The Daily Beast

It was a Senate floor soap opera over none other than a soap-opera producer.

From The Daily Beast

He seemed by all appearances perfectly happy to let the Republicans control the state senate.

From The Daily Beast

He was afterwards a member of the Massachusetts senate, and much esteemed as a physician and a patriot.

From Project Gutenberg

The conservative senate sent a deputation to Bonaparte, expressing their desire that he would accept the title of emperor.

From Project Gutenberg

This power may be exercised, either through treaties made by the president and senate, or through statutes enacted by congress.

From Project Gutenberg

In due course the news came that the date of voting in the Senate for or against the retention of the Islands was fixed.

From Project Gutenberg

That will fill in while you are waiting a chance for Congress—you must be seven years in the country for that—nine for the Senate.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• body
• chamber
• house
• parliament