legislature

noun

leg·​is·​la·​ture ˈle-jə-ˌslā-chər How to pronounce legislature (audio)
also ˌle-jə-ˈslā-
British often ˈle-jə-slə-chə
Synonyms of legislaturenext
: a body of persons having the power to legislate
specifically : an organized body having the authority to make laws for a political unit

Examples of legislature in a Sentence

Our legislature passed a law requiring people to wear safety belts. Each state has its own legislature.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee is independent from the Norwegian government, although its members are appointed by the parliament and reflect the political composition of the legislature. — Michael Birnbaum, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026 Within six months of the sanctions being lifted, Dodik's party, which has veto power in Bosnia's legislature, dropped its opposition and the Bosnian parliament passed legislation naming AAFS as the lead developer on the billion-dollar project. — Emmet Lyons, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026 If the amount of money provided by the state to school districts decreases because some children leave for private school, the legislature can adjust the Blueprint funding formula that ties funding to the number of students who attend a school. — Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 8 Oct. 2026 Both would be political challenges in a legislature almost certain to remain under Democratic control. — Dan Petrella, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for legislature

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1676, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of legislature was circa 1676

Rhymes for legislature

See All Rhymes for legislature

Browse Nearby Words

legislatress
legislature
legist
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Legislature.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legislature. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

legislature

noun
leg·​is·​la·​ture ˈlej-ə-ˌslā-chər How to pronounce legislature (audio)
: an organized body of persons having the authority to make laws

Legal Definition

legislature

noun
leg·​is·​la·​ture ˈle-jəs-ˌlā-chər, -ˌchu̇r How to pronounce legislature (audio)
: a body of persons having the power to legislate
specifically : an organized body having the authority to make laws for a political unit (as a nation or state) compare executive, judiciary

More from Merriam-Webster on legislature

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for legislature

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about legislature

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