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house of representatives
noun
plural houses of representatives
: the lower house of a legislative body
—often used in capitalized form to refer to a specific lower house
the U.S. House of Representatives
However, Canberra MP Dr Andrew Leigh tabled the petition in the House of Representatives on Monday afternoon …—Josh Butler
Examples of house of representatives in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
On Friday morning, Australia’s house of representatives approved the bill with bipartisan support, ending a legislative process that started just a week ago.
—Chris Morris, Fortune Asia, 29 Nov. 2024
In the Knesset, the Israeli house of representatives, Simcha Rothman of the right-wing Zionism Party serves as the chair of the constitution, law and justice committee.
—Sean Keane, ABC News, 1 Aug. 2024
By the time she is sworn in as president on Oct. 1, Morena’s coalition will have a supermajority in the house of representatives and a simple majority in the Senate.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2024
The Ohio house of representatives has overridden DeWine’s veto.
—David Harsanyi, National Review, 25 Jan. 2024
Since North Carolina’s governor can’t veto redistricting plans, all that’s left is for final votes in the state house of representatives and state senate.
—Matt Ford, The New Republic, 26 Oct. 2023
In the massachusetts statehouse, high above the gallery in the house of representatives, directly opposite the painting of John Hancock proposing the Bill of Rights, there hangs a five-foot-long wooden codfish.
—Robert Kunzig, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019
Before 1992, Peru’s 180-seat house of representatives and 60-seat senate had to agree on the terms of impeachment before booting the head of state.
—Marcelo Rochabrun, Bloomberg.com, 8 June 2023
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Word History
First Known Use
1693, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of house of representatives was
in 1693
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Cite this Entry
“House of representatives.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/house%20of%20representatives. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
Kids Definition
house of representatives
: the lower house of a legislative body (as the U.S. Congress)
Legal Definition
house of representatives
: the lower house of a legislative body
especially, capitalized H&R
: the lower house of the U.S. Congress or a state legislature
More from Merriam-Webster on house of representatives
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about house of representatives
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