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

Besides Oklahoma, rules or bills have been introduced in the legislatures of at least four other states that seek to restrict undocumented children from attending public school for free or require proof of students’ or their parents’ citizenship. —Gabe Gutierrez, NBC News, 28 Feb. 2025

The deal to which Harding and Sampson referred is the 11th hour agreement between Lamont and the legislature’s top Democrats that guaranteed a favorable Gillett committee vote as part of a wider plan to expand and restructure PURA, which is the board of commissioners that regulates state utilities. —Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 27 Feb. 2025

Democrats in the New York legislature sought to introduce a law that would delay the election from the typical 90-day window after a vacancy is declared, but that bill was killed following a wave of backlash. —David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025

Repealing or altering this amendment, or any other, would require the support or three-quarters of state legislatures — which is a tall order. —Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 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