legislator

noun

leg·​is·​la·​tor ˈle-jə-ˌslā-tər  -ˌslā-ˌtȯr 

 also  ˌle-jə-ˈslā-ˌtȯr

: one that makes laws especially for a political unit

especially : a member of a legislative body

legislatorial

ˌle-jə-slə-ˈtȯr-ē-əl 

adjective

legislatorship

ˈle-jə-ˌslā-tər-ˌship 

noun

Synonyms

• senator
• lawmaker
• lawgiver

Examples of legislator in a Sentence

Write to your state legislator.

the legislators met in an all-night session to hammer out the details of the bill

Recent Examples on the Web

Throughout the day, members of the leading organizations visited the Capitol to speak with some of the legislators about the bills moving through the Legislature and sharing their personal stories, according to Tinisch Hollins, executive director of Californians for Safety and Justice. —Rebecca-Ann Jattan, Sacbee.com, 26 June 2025

In his letter, the head Teamster urged legislators to act against the moratorium. —Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 25 June 2025

At the end of May, rank-and-file legislators were left with only hours to make sense of public transit revenue strategies. —Jackson Potter, Chicago Tribune, 24 June 2025

But the industry spent north of $100 million in political donations, Trump embraced the sector, and a bipartisan group of legislators took up the mantle this Congress. —Preston Fore, Fortune, 24 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin legis lator, literally, proposer of a law, from legis (genitive of lex law) + lator proposer, from ferre (past participle latus) to carry, propose — more at tolerate, bear

First Known Use

circa 1513, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for legislator

• activator
• actuator
• agitator
• alligator
• allocator
• alternator
• animator
• annotator
• applicator
• arbitrator
• aspirator
• aviator

Kids Definition

legislator

noun

leg·​is·​la·​tor ˈlej-ə-ˌslā-ˌtȯ(ə)r  -ˌslāt-ər 

: a person who makes laws

especially : a member of a legislature

Legal Definition

legislator

noun

leg·​is·​la·​tor ˈle-jəs-ˌlā-tər, -ˌtȯr 

: a person who makes laws especially for a political unit

especially : a member of a legislative body

legislatorial

ˌle-jəs-lə-ˈtōr-ē-əl 

adjective

legislatorship noun

Etymology

Latin legis lator, literally, proposer of a law, from legis (genitive of lex law) + lator proposer, from ferre (past participle latus) to carry, propose