senate

[sen-it]

See more synonyms for senate on Thesaurus.com

noun

an assembly or council of citizens having the highest deliberative functions in a government, especially a legislative assembly of a state or nation.
(initial capital letter) the upper house of the legislature of certain countries, as the United States, France, Italy, Canada, Ireland, Republic of South Africa, Australia, and some Latin American countries.
the room or building in which such a group meets.

Roman History. the supreme council of state, the membership and functions of which varied at different periods.
a governing, advisory, or disciplinary body, as in certain universities.

Origin of senate

1175–1225; Middle English senat < Latin senātus council of elders, equivalent to sen(ex) old + -ātus -ate³

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for senate

body, chamber, parliament, house, court, assembly, congress, diet, council, senate, plenum, gathering, assemblage, society, committee, conference, union, convention, meeting, caucus

Examples from the Web for senate

Contemporary Examples of senate

This is going to be the Game of Thrones of U.S. Senate races.
The Golden State Preps for the ‘Red Wedding’ of Senate Races
David Freedlander
January 9, 2015
This Congress will welcome more women than ever before at 19 percent of the House and 20 percent of the Senate.
The Unbearable Whiteness of Congress
Dean Obeidallah
January 8, 2015
AIDS insanity: When running for the US Senate in 1992, Huckabee called for a quarantine of people who had AIDS.
The Devil in Mike Huckabee
Dean Obeidallah
January 6, 2015
It was a Senate floor soap opera over none other than a soap-opera producer.
U.S. Embassies Have Always Been for Sale
William O’Connor
January 2, 2015
Still, for all of this, South Carolina is now represented in the U.S. Senate by Tim Scott, a Republican and an African-American.
Steve Scalise Shows There’s a Fine Line Between Confederate & Southern
Lloyd Green
January 2, 2015

Historical Examples of senate

The challenges before us will be thrashed out with the House and the Senate.
United States Presidents' Inaugural Speeches
Various
Nothing else can be appealed to in the field, or in the senate.
An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding
David Hume
In 1844, he was elected to the State Senate from the Franklin district.
Cleveland Past and Present
Maurice Joblin
Mr. Rice made the closing speech on the School Bill, in the Senate, on the 24th.
Cleveland Past and Present
Maurice Joblin
At Lanuvium there was a society known as the "Senate of Women."
The Truth About Woman
C. Gasquoine Hartley

British Dictionary definitions for senate

senate

noun

any legislative or governing body considered to resemble a Senate
the main governing body at some colleges and universities

Word Origin for senate

C13: from Latin senātus council of the elders, from senex an old man

Senate

noun (sometimes not capital)

the upper chamber of the legislatures of the US, Canada, Australia, and many other countries
the legislative council of ancient Rome. Originally the council of the kings, the Senate became the highest legislative, judicial, and religious authority in republican Rome
the ruling body of certain free cities in medieval and modern Europe

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for senate

c.1200, "legal and administrative body of ancient Rome," from Old French senat or Latin senatus "highest council of the state in ancient Rome," literally "council of elders," from senex (genitive senis) "old man, old" (see senile). Attested from late 14c. in reference to governing bodies of free cities in Europe; of national governing bodies from 1550s; specific sense of upper house of U.S. legislature is recorded from 1775.