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:
Previously, Guinea-Bissau's legislature appointed a prime minister from the parliamentary majority, who then formed a cabinet - an arrangement the ruling military authorities said had contributed to political instability.
From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026
They steal electricity cables, damage water pipes and dig up roads, said Michael Sun, a member of the provincial legislature in Gauteng, which includes Johannesburg.
From Barron's ● Sep. 1, 2026
The California legislature is expected to vote on two of the bills to regulate the controversial industry within the next day.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026
No legislature debated whether two hours was the correct limit or midnight the correct bedtime.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
It did not mean so much to have a father in the state legislature and a sister who was engaged to a champion skier.
From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller
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
Local council elections, local and combined-authority mayoral elections, devolved legislatures, European Parliament elections and London Assembly elections were excluded.
From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026
We made ourselves seen and heard, mounting a sustained, affirmative campaign in the states, in the legislatures, and in the courts of law alongside, most crucially, the court of public opinion.
From Slate ● Aug. 3, 2026
Barstool was humming and Portnoy had his first Nantucket house when state legislatures began to legalize online gambling.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 27, 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
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.
