legislator
Americannoun
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a person concerned with the making or enactment of laws
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a member of a legislature
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of legislator
1595–1605; < Latin phrase lēgis lātor a law's bringer (i.e., proposer), equivalent to lēgis (genitive of lēx law) + lātor bringer ( lā ( tus ), suppletive past participle of ferre to bring + -tor -tor
Explanation
A legislator makes laws. Congress is full of legislators. You have several who represent you at both the state and national level. Don't confuse a legislator with the legislature. Whereas the latter refers to the group such as the Congress, a legislator is a member of the group. At the national level, senators and representatives are given the task of writing our laws. States sometimes have different names for their two legislative houses, but the set-up is similar. The United States may be the world's oldest democracy, but legislators have been around nearly forever — the Romans had them.
Vocabulary lists containing legislator
Commonly Confused Words, List 3
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Commonly Confused Words, List 5
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The Executive Branch: The Presidency and Vice Presidency
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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.
Elected in 2022 as the city’s first female mayor, she is a former congresswoman and state legislator.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
While previously serving as a legislator in the opposition, he was renowned for fiercely challenging former President Macky Sall's policies - a trait which he also demonstrated against his boss Faye.
From BBC • May 25, 2026
But opposition from the state government and members of the city council apparently led the insurgent former state legislator to pursue other measures to help plug New York's budget deficit that reached around $12 billion.
From Barron's • May 12, 2026
“I think she deeply and personally understands the everyday struggles that so many Californians are grappling with right now,” said Petrie-Norris, who last month became the first state legislator to endorse Porter.
From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2026
A local legislator introduced a bill seeking compensation on Walter's behalf that prompted the local press to report that Walter was seeking $9 million.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
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.
