Bundesrat

noun

Bun·​des·​rat

ˈbu̇ndəsˌrät,

G -räät

plural -s

: a federal council especially having legislative or executive functions: such as

a

: the upper house of the German and Austrian parliaments composed of members selected by the state governments

b

: the chief executive authority of Switzerland consisting of members elected by the Federal Assembly

Word History

Etymology

German, from bundes (genitive of bund federation) + rat council, advice, from Old High German rāt advice; akin to rātan to advise

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!