senate

[ sen-it ]

/ ˈsɛn ɪt /

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. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for 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|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

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|DAILY BEAST
Meanwhile Mr. Krone, with an imprecation, declares he has power to elect his candidate to the Senate.
An Outcast|F. Colburn Adams
The main question, the institution of a Senate, was not seriously debated.
Lectures on the French Revolution|John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton
Over those, I suppose, whom the Roman senate or people had assigned to you as your enemies.
The History of Rome, Books 37 to the End|Titus Livius
In the Senate it met with many vicissitudes which need not be recounted, as it eventually failed to pass.
The History of Woman Suffrage, Volume IV|Various
The Senate, however, passed a decree that the army should name the new emperor.
A Smaller History of Rome|William Smith and Eugene Lawrence

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

noun

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Origin of senate

Words nearby senate

Words related to senate

Example sentences from the Web for senate

British Dictionary definitions for senate (1 of 2)

noun

Word Origin for senate

British Dictionary definitions for senate (2 of 2)

noun (sometimes not capital)