legislature

noun

leg·​is·​la·​ture ˈle-jə-ˌslā-chər How to pronounce legislature (audio)
also ˌle-jə-ˈslā-
British often ˈle-jə-slə-chə
Synonyms of legislaturenext
: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Shapiro told Semafor that he’ll be focused on passing a few specific items if his party wins full control of the government — not a parade of progressive bills, as Democrats in some swing states have done after winning the legislature. — David Weigel, semafor.com, 30 Oct. 2026 Like several other legislatures across the country, Idaho has tried to enact laws that eliminate the need to change the clocks. — Hali Smith, Idaho Statesman, 30 Oct. 2026 The race is among the seats targeted by the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, which wades into races nationwide to try and elect Democrats to state legislatures. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Oct. 2026 More than 6,100 seats are up for election in state legislatures, which make most of the laws on education, taxes, reproductive rights, crime and social media access, among other things. — Carmen Russell-Sluchansky, NPR, 30 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for legislature

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1676, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of legislature was circa 1676

Rhymes for legislature

See All Rhymes for legislature

Browse Nearby Words

legislatress
legislature
legist
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Legislature.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legislature. Accessed 2 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

legislature

noun
leg·​is·​la·​ture ˈlej-ə-ˌslā-chər How to pronounce legislature (audio)
: an organized body of persons having the authority to make laws

Legal Definition

legislature

noun
leg·​is·​la·​ture ˈle-jəs-ˌlā-chər, -ˌchu̇r How to pronounce legislature (audio)
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on legislature

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for legislature

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about legislature

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