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

In 1977, the state legislature reinstated the death penalty. —Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 17 Dec. 2025

Regulatory requirements in Texas will change in 2026 with the implementation of its Senate Bill 2807, which the Texas legislature passed earlier this year. —Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 15 Dec. 2025

Last year, the Michigan legislature passed a law that allows school buses to utilize stop-arm cameras. —Veronica Ortega, CBS News, 15 Dec. 2025

Israel’s previous capital was Tel Aviv until its legislature, called the Knesset, voted to approve the change. —Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 12 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1676, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for legislature

• nomenclature
• nature

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