legislation
Americannoun
-
legislations
plural
-
the act of making or enacting laws.
-
a law or a body of laws enacted.
noun
-
the act or process of making laws; enactment
-
the laws so made
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of legislation
1645–55; < Late Latin lēgislātiōn- (stem of lēgislātiō ), equivalent to Latin phrase lēgis lātiō the bringing (i.e., proposing) of a law, equivalent to lēgis (genitive of lēx law) + lātiō a bringing; see relation
Explanation
Legislation is the act or process of making or enacting laws. Some people think there should be more legislation in the area of education and some people think there should be less — governments debate the matter periodically. The noun legislation refers to the actual law enacted by a legislative body at the national, state, or local level. There has been some very odd legislation over the years. In one state it was illegal to kiss on a train; in another, it was illegal to take a bath on Sunday. The sweeping legislation made radical changes to tax law, health care, and immigration law.
Vocabulary lists containing legislation
Election Lingo
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
13th Amendment (1865)
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
19th Amendment (1920)
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
Speaking after the attack, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said he plans to introduce laws that restrict the carrying of firearms in public, with the new legislation only allowing government officials on duty to carry guns.
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026
The legislation now heads to the House of Representatives, though a vote there will not take place until at least early September due to the congressional summer recess.
From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026
In 1964 opponents of the Civil Rights Act attempted to stop the legislation with a filibuster.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
Private jailers like The GEO Group successfully challenged the legislation in court.
From Salon ● Aug. 6, 2026
Following Kennedy’s assassination, President Johnson professed his commitment to the goal of “the full assimilation of more than twenty million Negroes into American life,” and ensured the passage of comprehensive civil rights legislation.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
The Brazilian proposal is shaping up to be one of the world's strongest legislations on social media, comparable to the European Union's Digital Services Act enacted last year.
From Reuters ● May 2, 2023
Some want legislations to force companies to explain how they intend to close gaps - with penalties for those who fail .
From BBC ● Apr. 4, 2023
“I made up my mind because I must not interfere with parliamentary discussion of key legislations because of my problems,” Terada said.
From Washington Times ● Nov. 20, 2022
Kishida returned to Tokyo on Saturday after a nine-day trip and apparently faced pressure from his governing party executives to make a quick decision on Terada before discussions on key legislations resume Monday.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 20, 2022
It is Schleiermacher's determinism which leads him, in view of the parallelism of the two legislations, to overlook their essential distinction.
From History of Modern Philosophy From Nicolas of Cusa to the Present Time by Falckenberg, Richard
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.
