senator
Americannoun
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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
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.
Unlike Cepeda, a longtime congressman and then senator, de la Espriella uses his lack of political experience as an asset.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026
J&J Nursery, a facility owned by a state senator who helped approve the Stratos megaproject, is facing widespread calls for a boycott.
From Slate • Jun. 1, 2026
A senior senator who voted with President Donald Trump’s agenda 99% of the time.
From Salon • May 29, 2026
Just 10 days ago, Louisiana senator Bill Cassidy failed to even reach his party's run-off primary, finishing behind two Republican challengers – the political equivalent of lightning striking in the same spot twice.
From BBC • May 27, 2026
Kerry, then a senator from Massachusetts, was locked in a back-and-forth fight for the presidency with George W. Bush.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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.
