legislator

noun

leg·​is·​la·​tor ˈle-jə-ˌslā-tər  -ˌslā-ˌtȯr 

 also  ˌle-jə-ˈslā-ˌtȯr

: one that makes laws especially for a political unit

especially : a member of a legislative body

legislatorial

ˌle-jə-slə-ˈtȯr-ē-əl 

adjective

legislatorship

ˈle-jə-ˌslā-tər-ˌship 

noun

Synonyms

• lawgiver
• lawmaker
• solon

Examples of legislator in a Sentence

Write to your state legislator.

the legislators met in an all-night session to hammer out the details of the bill

Recent Examples on the Web

Some flinch at this method of direct democracy, which allows citizens to bypass legislators. —The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2025

In an extraordinary criticism of one state agency by another, Florida’s Office of Insurance Regulation told legislators that a department led by then-Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis may have buried thousands of complaints Floridians made against property insurance companies. —Lawrence Mower, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2025

Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown (D) recently pointed to that Illinois decision in a letter warning Maryland legislators about the consequences associated with state regulation of interchange fees. —Patrick Gleason, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025

If only a half-dozen legislators obtained seats by this method, few would notice. —Bob Marshall, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin legis lator, literally, proposer of a law, from legis (genitive of lex law) + lator proposer, from ferre (past participle latus) to carry, propose — more at tolerate, bear

First Known Use

circa 1513, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for legislator

• activator
• actuator
• agitator
• alligator
• allocator
• alternator
• animator
• annotator
• applicator
• arbitrator
• aspirator
• aviator

Kids Definition

legislator

noun

leg·​is·​la·​tor ˈlej-ə-ˌslā-ˌtȯ(ə)r  -ˌslāt-ər 

: a person who makes laws

especially : a member of a legislature

Legal Definition

legislator

noun

leg·​is·​la·​tor ˈle-jəs-ˌlā-tər, -ˌtȯr 

: a person who makes laws especially for a political unit

especially : a member of a legislative body

legislatorial

ˌle-jəs-lə-ˈtōr-ē-əl 

adjective

legislatorship noun

Etymology

Latin legis lator, literally, proposer of a law, from legis (genitive of lex law) + lator proposer, from ferre (past participle latus) to carry, propose