senator
Americannoun
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senators
plural
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Often Senator a member of a senate.
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Senator, (in the United States) a title of respect accorded a person who is or has been a member of the Senate.
noun
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(often capital) a member of a Senate or senate
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any legislator or statesman
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of senator
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English senatour, from Anglo-French, from Latin senātor, equivalent to sen(ātus) “council of elders” + -ātor noun suffix; see senate, -ator
Explanation
A senator is a person who works in the government. In the United States, senators are elected by voters to represent them in a state or federal senate. Each state in the US elects two senators who serve six-year terms in Washington, DC, where they pass laws and vote on policies. Other countries have senators as well, either elected or appointed. The word senator has been used in English since around 1200, from the Latin word, senex, or "old man." This is especially appropriate when you know that men have far outnumbered women in the US senate and that the first female senator wasn't elected until 1932.
Vocabulary lists containing senator
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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:
He was the first openly gay state senator in Michigan history and has risen into legislative leadership during his decade of service in Lansing.
From Slate ● Aug. 20, 2026
Tapper reminded Cassidy that the senator previously called for someone to challenge “crazy stupid things” that undermine confidence in immunization and asked whether Trump’s statements qualified.
From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026
Mr. Fillmore, a Republican, is a Utah state senator.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
And Richard Blumenthal, another Democratic senator, said there were "widespread reports of shortages of basic supplies, water contamination, plumbing issues, deteriorating mental health, deck safety concerns" on the ship.
From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026
Jones kept putting Ellsberg off, saying the senator was still weighing options.
From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin
The impersonation was targeted at her personal phone, not government phone, but recipients included US senators, governors and top business executives.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in May told senators he has increased the number of U.S. personnel being sent to Ukraine to study drone warfare.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
Asked by senators whether the immunity remained in effect anyway, Blanche said yes; the ruling, he said, was under “review.”
From Slate ● Aug. 10, 2026
Allen also is backed by California’s two U.S. senators and the leaders of the state Senate and Assembly.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026
“Our Navy played absolutely no part in, was not associated with, was not aware of any South Vietnamese actions, if there were any,” he told the senators.
From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin
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.
