verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ˈlɛd͡ʒɪsˌleɪt/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:L EH1 JH IH0 S L EY2 T
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
verb
Meaning 1
To pass laws (including the amending or repeal of existing laws).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
If they can't get people to do the right thing by talking then they will try to legislate and enforce the statutes.
Candidates always promise to legislate change.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: lawmake
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
make laws, bills, etc. or bring into effect by legislation
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
They passed the amendment
We cannot legislate how people spend their free time
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: pass
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: ordain, enact
History
Etymology
Back-formation from legislation, legislator.
Across languages
Translations
32 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
شَرَّعَ
(šarraʕa)
— pass laws
Bulgarian:
издавам закони
(izdavam zakoni)
— pass laws
Catalan:
legislar
— pass laws
Chinese Mandarin:
立法
(lìfǎ)
— pass laws
Danish:
lovgive
— pass laws
Dutch:
wetten maken
— pass laws
Esperanto:
leĝdoni
— pass laws
Finnish:
säätää laki
— pass laws
French:
légiférer
— pass laws
Galician:
lexislar
— pass laws
German:
Gesetze geben
— pass laws
German:
Gesetze beschließen
— pass laws
German:
Gesetze verordnen
— pass laws
German:
Gesetze erlassen
— pass laws
German:
legiferieren
— pass laws
Greek:
νομοθετώ
(nomothetó)
— pass laws
Ancient Greek:
νομοθετέω
(nomothetéō)
— pass laws
Hungarian:
törvényt hoz
— pass laws
Irish:
reachtaigh
— pass laws
Irish:
achtaigh
— pass laws
Old Irish:
rechtaigid
— pass laws
Italian:
legiferare
— pass laws
Japanese:
制定する
(seitei suru)
— pass laws
Kazakh:
заң шығару
(zañ şyğaru)
— pass laws
Latin:
lēgem ferre
— pass laws
Persian:
قانونگذاری کردن
(qânun-gozâri kardan)
— pass laws
