legislature

noun

leg·​is·​la·​ture ˈle-jə-ˌslā-chər 

 also  ˌle-jə-ˈslā-,

 British often  ˈle-jə-slə-chə

: 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

But as the powers of the legislature grew on issues like banking rules, agriculture and the EU budget, so did voting interest and the quality of legislators. —Eli Joseph, Fortune Europe, 5 June 2024

In South Africa, the African National Congress lost an absolute majority in the country’s legislature for the first time in the post-apartheid era. —Sydney Lake, Fortune, 3 June 2024

At least 515 anti-LGBTQ bills, a record number, are pending in state legislatures across the country, representing an unspeakable mass of public hate. —Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2024

The child tax credit stacks atop others passed or expanded by the legislature this year, including an increase to the state’s match of the Earned Income Tax Credit. —Nick Coltrain, The Denver Post, 1 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1676, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

legislature

noun

leg·​is·​la·​ture ˈlej-ə-ˌslā-chər 

: an organized body of persons having the authority to make laws

Legal Definition

legislature

noun

leg·​is·​la·​ture ˈle-jəs-ˌlā-chər, -ˌchu̇r 

: 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