legislature
Americannoun
-
legislatures
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of legislature
First recorded in 1670–80; legislat(or) + -ure
Explanation
A legislature is a governing body that makes laws and can also amend or repeal them. The word legislature comes from the Latin word for "law" — legis. In the US, each state has a legislature — made up of the elected state senators and assemblymen or women, or representatives. The US Congress is the national legislature. These bodies, whose members are often referred to as "law-makers," make up the legislative branch of government, as distinct from the executive and judicial branches.
Vocabulary lists containing legislature
U.S. Government Lingo
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Vocabulary from The Articles of Confederation
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The American Revolution - Introductory
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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.
See Examples For:
In the country’s highly fractured legislature, where well over a dozen political parties vie for power, these are notable developments.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2026
For two decades, she has been an organizer in Florida, and she was first elected to the state legislature in 2020.
From Salon ● Oct. 21, 2026
But a spokeswoman for the legislature told AFP the premium carmaker withdrew the offer for the speaker on Tuesday, the day Rausch was elected to the post.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
How candidates across the country who have made renter priorities a part of their campaign fair could influence how Connecticut’s Democrat-controlled legislature approaches the issue, he said.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026
The Pennsylvania legislature realized that the state government had ceased to exist when its members scampered from the city in panic.
From "An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793" by Jim Murphy
Analysts have stressed that the pledge needs to be turned into enforceable ratepayer protections through work with utility commissions, state legislatures and state governors.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 21, 2026
Pan is part of a wave of doctors and scientists running for office this November — for school boards, city councils, state legislatures, the House and U.S.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 11, 2026
The country should have more female legislators because the country’s legislatures should represent the country.
From Slate ● Oct. 9, 2026
In response, tech executives are clearly realizing that city councils and state legislatures can do a lot to constrain them.
From Salon ● Sep. 2, 2026
These legislatures were following a long tradition, dating back to ancient Greece, of treating those convicted of crimes as less than full citizens.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
