adj · noun · 4 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
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈlɛd͡ʒ.ɪ.slə.tɪv/
Canada, General-American:/ˈlɛd͡ʒ.ɪˌsleɪ.tɪv/
Canada, General-American:[ˈlɛd͡ʒ.ɪˌsleɪ.ɾɪv]
Canada, General-American:/ˈlɛd͡ʒ.əˌsleɪ.tɪv/
Canada, General-American:[ˈlɛd͡ʒ.əˌsleɪ.ɾɪv]
Canada, General-American:
California, Southern:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Australian:/ˈled͡ʒ.ɪ.slə.tɪv/
Australian:[ˈled͡ʒ.ɪ.slə.ɾɪv]
Australian:/-slæɪ-/
Philippines, nonstandard:/lɛˈd͡ʒɪ.slə.tɪv/
CMU ARPABET:L EH1 JH AH0 S L EY2 T IH0 V
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Making, or having the power to make, a law or laws; lawmaking.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
a legislative act
Although enormously influential in shaping the laws of the land, The House of Lords are not actually a legislative body.
The legislative framework provides much opportunity for correction and amendment of poorly thought out bills.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
That branch of government which is responsible for making, or having the power to make, a law or laws.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: legislature
Antonyms: none provided
3
adjective
Meaning 3
of or relating to or created by legislation
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
legislative proposal
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adjective
Meaning 4
relating to a legislature or composed of members of a legislature
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
legislative council
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree English legislate Proto-Indo-European *-wós Proto-Indo-European *-iHwósder. Latin -īvus Old French -ifbor. Middle English -yf English -ive English legislative From legislate + -ive.
Across languages
Translations
33 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Armenian:
օրենսդրական
(ōrensdrakan)
— having the power to make laws
Azerbaijani:
qanunverici
— having the power to make laws
Belarusian:
заканада́ўчы
(zakanadáwčy)
— having the power to make laws
Bulgarian:
законодателен
(zakonodatelen)
— having the power to make laws
Catalan:
legislatiu
— having the power to make laws
Chinese Mandarin:
立法的
(lìfǎ de)
— having the power to make laws
Czech:
zákonodárný
— having the power to make laws
Czech:
legislativní
— having the power to make laws
Danish:
lovgivende
— having the power to make laws
Dutch:
wetgevend
— having the power to make laws
Finnish:
lakiasäätävä
— having the power to make laws
French:
législatif
— having the power to make laws
Galician:
lexislativo
— having the power to make laws
German:
gesetzgeberisch
— having the power to make laws
Ancient Greek:
νομοθετικός
(nomothetikós)
— having the power to make laws
Hungarian:
törvényhozó
— having the power to make laws
Indonesian:
legislatif
— having the power to make laws
Irish:
reachtach
— having the power to make laws
Italian:
legislativo
— having the power to make laws
Kazakh:
заңнамалық
(zañnamalyq)
— having the power to make laws
Norwegian:
legislativ
— having the power to make laws
Norwegian Bokmål:
lovgivende
— having the power to make laws
Occitan:
legislatiu
— having the power to make laws
Old English:
ǣlagol
— having the power to make laws
Polish:
legislacyjny
— having the power to make laws
Polish:
legislatywny
— having the power to make laws
Polish:
prawodawczy
— having the power to make laws
Polish:
ustawodawczy
— having the power to make laws
Portuguese:
legislativo
— having the power to make laws
Romanian:
legislativ
— having the power to make laws
Russian:
законода́тельный
(zakonodátelʹnyj)
— having the power to make laws
Spanish:
legislativo
— having the power to make laws
Ukrainian:
законода́вчий
(zakonodávčyj)
— having the power to make laws
