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
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of or relating to a legislature
noun
Other Word 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.
With only days left in the legislative session, California lawmakers are racing through dozens of high-stakes bills that will shape energy and environmental priorities at the state and federal levels.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
But most states run their own programs according to the rules set by their legislative bodies.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026
His principal legislative interest has been to delist the gray wolf as a federal endangered species.
From Slate ● Aug. 15, 2026
In May, the government announced legislative plans for an agreement on animal transfers between the UK and the EU and Twycross is calling on the new prime minister to continue the task.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
By the end of the summer, he declared his intention to make the eradication of poverty a key legislative objective in 1964.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
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.
