Word
legislation
Phoneticsleg·is·la·tion, stress on the third syllable
US/ˌɫɛdʒəˈsɫeɪʃən/
UK/lˌɛdʒɪslˈeɪʃən/
Definitions
01a law or set of laws
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Law Formal · Academic
n. a law or a group of laws that have been officially passed by a government.
n. a law or collective body of laws enacted by a legislature or other governing body.
日本語:法律※
Español:legislación
“The government introduced new legislation to protect the environment from pollution.”
“The proposed legislation underwent several amendments in the senate before it was finally ratified by the executive branch.”
Usage
Uncountable when referring to laws collectively; individual items are usually called 'acts' or 'bills'.
02the process of making laws
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Law Formal · Academic
n. the official process of preparing and passing new laws.
n. the act or process of legislating; the preparation and enactment of laws.
日本語:立法※
“The legislation of these new rules took several months of debate.”
“Effective legislation requires a delicate balance between public interest groups and the practical constraints of the legal system.”
Usage
Always uncountable in this sense.
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “legislation” in context.
Verb
01. comply with legislation
“Small businesses often struggle to comply with complex environmental legislation.”
verb + prep + noun
02. enact legislation
“Parliament recently enacted legislation that protects the rights of gig economy workers.”
verb + noun
03. introduce legislation
“The government plans to introduce legislation to curb carbon emissions by the end of the year.”
verb + noun
Adjective
04. landmark legislation
“The Civil Rights Act was a piece of landmark legislation that transformed the country.”
adj + noun
05. pending legislation
“Investors are cautious due to pending legislation that could affect corporate tax rates.”
adj + noun
06. stringent legislation
“The industry is facing stringent legislation regarding the disposal of hazardous waste.”
adj + noun
Noun
07. piece of legislation
“This specific piece of legislation has been debated in the Senate for over six months.”
noun + of + noun
08. breach of legislation
“The company was fined heavily for a serious breach of safety legislation.”
noun + of + noun
Preposition
09. under legislation
“Under current legislation, all employees are entitled to a minimum of four weeks' paid leave.”
prep + noun
Real-World Examples
“Opponents of the bill believe the legislation has substantial flaws and would pose risks to disabled people, putting pressure on them to end their lives.” “Five UN-appointed independent human rights experts called on Tuesday for Türkiye to stop using counter-terrorism legislation to intimidate human rights defenders and to immediately release Sebnem Korur Fincancı, a senior medic and anti-torture expert.” “Aguirre rejects calls for sweeping new AI legislation, arguing that existing labour, privacy and consumer protection laws can be adapted more quickly through regulatory guidance.” “The legislation , external states that "disposal" includes destroying an animal.” Etymology
From Late Latin lēgislātiō (“the giving of the law”). Morphologically legislate + -ion.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Related words
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/legislation
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0