legislation

noun

leg·is·la·tion | \ ˌle-jə-ˈslā-shən

Definition of legislation

1 : the action of legislating specifically : the exercise of the power and function of making rules (such as laws) that have the force of authority by virtue of their promulgation by an official organ of a state or other organization the major function of Congress is legislation — W. S. Sayre

2 : the enactments of a legislator or a legislative body legislation to help distressed homeowners

3 : a matter of business for or under consideration by a legislative body She proposed new legislation to protect the environment.

Examples of legislation in a Sentence

They passed new state legislation this week. Two new pieces of legislation are being considered. She introduced legislation for protecting the environment. More legislation is needed on this matter. Certain animals are protected under state legislation. One of the important functions of government is legislation.

Recent Examples on the Web

Dissatisfied with the legislation, Mr. Trump plans to pull $6.7 billion from the military and other sources, though the move faces legal and legislative challenges. — Andrew Duehren, WSJ, "House to Vote Tuesday on Resolution Terminating National Emergency," 22 Feb. 2019 Without being specific, West Virginia Education Association President Dale Lee said the unions believe there’s still a small chance there could be further developments with the legislation. — John Raby, The Seattle Times, "Despite bill’s demise, W.Va. teachers to strike for 2nd day," 20 Feb. 2019 Australian lawmakers responded with legislation that, among other provisions, banned certain types of firearms, such as automatic and semiautomatic rifles and shotguns. — German Lopez, Vox, "I’ve covered gun violence for years. The solutions aren’t a big mystery.," 14 Feb. 2019 Finally, the whales caught a break with international protective legislation in the 1970s. — Cathleen O'grady, Ars Technica, "Whales are stressed out by climate change, and it shows in their earwax," 16 Nov. 2018 Scharnhorst’s research comes as Philadelphia has been grappling with legislation that could change its parking inventory — and even its development boom. — Caitlin Mccabe, Philly.com, "Philadelphia has 2,172,896 parking spaces. So how come you're still circling the block?," 12 July 2018 State lawmakers who passed the law this spring, however, say there is nothing wrong with the new legislation and doubt the union lawsuit will be successful. — Leslie Postal, OrlandoSentinel.com, "New teachers union rules spark debate — and more dues-paying members," 12 July 2018 Many San Diego County school districts have passed board resolutions in recent weeks to comply with the new legislation, while others plan to finalize it in the next few days. — Deborah Sullivan Brennan, sandiegouniontribune.com, "State law confirms protections for immigrant students," 30 June 2018 Arizona Republicans this month introduced legislation to recognize other states’ occupational licenses, even if the courtesy isn’t reciprocated. — The Editorial Board, WSJ, "An Arizona Occupational Welcome," 18 Feb. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'legislation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

11 Mar 2019

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The first known use of legislation was in 1606

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More Definitions for legislation

legislation

noun

English Language Learners Definition of legislation

: a law or set of laws made by a government

: the action or process of making laws

See the full definition for legislation in the English Language Learners Dictionary

legislation

noun

leg·is·la·tion | \ ˌle-jə-ˈslā-shən

Kids Definition of legislation

1 : the action of making laws

2 : the laws that are made Congress passed new legislation protecting the environment.

legislation

noun

leg·is·la·tion | \ ˌle-jəs-ˈlā-shən

Legal Definition of legislation

1 : the making or giving of laws specifically : the exercise of the power and function of making rules that have the force of authority by virtue of their promulgation by an official organ of the state

2 : the enactments of a legislator or legislative body

3 : a matter of business for or under consideration by a legislative body recently proposed legislation