senate

[ sen-it ]

/ ˈsɛn ɪt /

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See 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.

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Origin of senate

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

Words nearby senate

sen, sena, senarius, senarmontite, senary, senate, Senate, United States, senator, senatorial, senatorial courtesy, senatorial district

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use senate in a sentence

It meant that, in New Jersey, the sitting president of the state senate will probably be replaced by a guy who spent on his entire campaign less than a third of what McAuliffe spent on fines to the Board of Elections alone.
Another problem for Democrats on Tuesday? Little to no ticket-splitting.|Philip Bump|November 3, 2021|Washington Post
Haugen is scheduled to testify before the Senate Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Data Security on Tuesday.
The Facebook Whistleblower Revealed Herself on 60 Minutes. Here's What You Need to Know|Chad de Guzman|October 4, 2021|Time
Antigone Davis, Facebook’s Global Head of Safety, is scheduled to address the issue before the Senate Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety and Data Security on Thursday.
Facebook is hitting pause on Instagram Kids app|Aaron Gregg|September 27, 2021|Washington Post
The Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control will hold a hearing next week on how to move forward against the drug crisis.
Drug overdose deaths soared to a record 93,000 last year|Lenny Bernstein, Joel Achenbach|July 14, 2021|Washington Post

He was set to testify before the state senate, where a bill to finally repeal the 50a secrecy law was being considered.
“City Hall Put the Kibosh on That”: The Inside Story of How de Blasio Promised, Then Thwarted NYPD Accountability|by Eric Umansky and Jake Pearson|June 11, 2021|ProPublica
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|DAILY BEAST
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|DAILY BEAST
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|DAILY BEAST
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|DAILY BEAST
He seemed by all appearances perfectly happy to let the Republicans control the state senate.
Mario Cuomo: An OK Governor, but a Far Better Person|Michael Tomasky|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
He was afterwards a member of the Massachusetts senate, and much esteemed as a physician and a patriot.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell
The conservative senate sent a deputation to Bonaparte, expressing their desire that he would accept the title of emperor.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell
This power may be exercised, either through treaties made by the president and senate, or through statutes enacted by congress.
Putnam's Handy Law Book for the Layman|Albert Sidney Bolles
In due course the news came that the date of voting in the Senate for or against the retention of the Islands was fixed.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman
That will fill in while you are waiting a chance for Congress—you must be seven years in the country for that—nine for the Senate.
Ancestors|Gertrude Atherton

British Dictionary definitions for senate (1 of 2)

senate

/ (ˈsɛnɪt) /

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

British Dictionary definitions for senate (2 of 2)

Senate

/ (ˈsɛnɪt) /

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

senate

Origin of senate

Words nearby senate

Words related to senate

How to use senate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for senate (1 of 2)

Word Origin for senate

British Dictionary definitions for senate (2 of 2)