# legislative

/ˈɫɛdʒəˌsɫeɪtɪv/ (US) · /lˈɛdʒɪslətˌɪv/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/legislative
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. related to lawmaking

adjective · CEFR C1 · Academic · Formal

related to the process of making laws or the power to create them.

For teachers: relating to the enactment of laws or the exercise of lawmaking power.

- The government is planning new legislative changes to improve road safety.
- The legislative agenda for the upcoming session focuses heavily on environmental protection and tax reform.

Usage: Usually placed before a noun; often contrasted with 'executive' or 'judicial'.

### 2. the lawmaking body

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic · Formal

the group of people in a government who have the power to make laws.

For teachers: the branch of government or organized body of people vested with the power to make, amend, and repeal laws.

- The legislative met late into the night to discuss the new budget.
- While the executive branch proposes the budget, the legislative must approve the final figures before they become law.

Teaching tip: In modern English, 'legislature' is much more common as a noun than 'legislative'.

## Examples

- The government is planning new legislative changes.
- The legislative branch of the government spent months debating the new environmental protection bill before it finally passed.
- The country's legislative framework underwent a significant overhaul to align national trade standards with international treaties, requiring a series of complex amendments to existing statutes.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.